Moth to the Flame
by Seul Desir
Summary: UPDATED AT LAST! Pyro confronts the Dark Phoenix once and for all. And maybe, just maybe, he will live to see Mystique finally love him in return.
1. Into the World

*A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to the Third and Final Installment of the Pyro Series! It's going to be one hell of a story. Are you ready for more cliffhangers? How about more heartbreak and death? Anyone up for loss and regret, pain and suffering? Or maybe you'd like to meander through love, pleasure, and captivation? Do you wish to flirt with the mysterious and sensual? Oh yes... and how about a little more... Pyro?

I hope that you enjoy this story. And don't worry, every question will be answered. If there is something specific you want to know about, don't hesitate to ask. I know that there are many things that I have left out along the way... but that all will change, for in this fic, Pyro learns more, experiences more than he could ever imagine- Both painful and pleasuring. 

And since I have no more to say... You are now free to read the conclusion to the Pyro Trilogy...

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The overbearing moon lifted into the sky; it laughed at the sun in its descent, for it was the time for darkness, not light. The warmth that had coated the world just a few moments ago now diminished and slowly faded away. Chilling winds succeeded the calm, flowing breeze, and shadow blanketed everything within sight. Night had come and thrown Day from his throne. Darkness settled and had slain Illumination without a fleeting thought of regret.

But battles of such kinds were not to be fought by the living. In fact, one person in particular had more on his mind than the waning light of the sun and the ascent of the moon. No, his problems not only lied within the physical realm, but in the very catacombs of his tormented mind.

He had vowed to find her, but he did not know where to start.

He had promised to search for her, but he did not know where to look.

He had hoped to see her, but he did not know what he was getting himself into.

Not long had it been since his discovery. It was revealed to him that the one woman that he had ever truly loved, he had not met. It was as if she were a figment of his imagination- an arrangement of desire and hope that had been lost to him since the day that he was born- that formed into the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him. It still tore at him, the way he was manipulated. He had poured out the very contents of his heart, only to have them stolen away.

Brushing stray pieces of hair from his watering eyes, St. John Allerdyce sighed to no one; his heartbeat slowed and his blood felt thick and useless inside of his unmoving body. His mind felt numb. No thoughts came. It was as if his latest discovery had been the downfall of him completely. All he wanted to do was prove everyone wrong. All he wanted to do was find Mystique.

It was hard even now to accept what had happened. It was difficult to believe that a once uncaring and arrogant man had transitioned so much in so little time. And from what? A woman.

_An amazing woman,_ John thought sadly. _A woman whom I have never known._

Clenching his head inside of trembling hands, the one they called Pyro closed his eyes and tried to erase what had happened to him over the past few months. His life had changed drastically not even in the span of a year; but was it for the best?

_Without pain, there can be no pleasure. Without suffering, there can be no joy._

Releasing his tight grasp from the nape of his neck, Pyro slid down from the roof and swung himself through an open window. Immediately, the temperature difference was evident and his skin crawled with the change. But he didn't care. There was nothing to care about anymore.

But there was. There was everyone at the school who cared about him; there was Bobby and Storm, Logan and Scott, Jean and Xavier...

Yes, Charles Xavier, the one mutant whom Pyro had _always_ respected, even in his immature days. Maybe that was it; John struggled with the proposition of asking for Xavier's help to find Mystique. After all, if she was alive, Cerebro could find her! But that was much too ask and John felt that he had not deserved such a thing. He would simply have to go out into the world once more and find the love that he had never had.

The evening raged on and Pyro was almost through packing the things that he thought he would need for his search. He really didn't have too many possessions left at the mansion since he had been living in his apartment, but Xavier had generously given him more clothing since the professor _thought_ that John was going to stay for some time. That was before the day that Dark Phoenix had ruined everything... 

He lugged one duffle bag to the door and was about to turn the knob, when it spun before he could touch it.

It was Bobby.

Without even looking, Bobby Drake knew what John was doing. Without even looking, Bobby knew that John was going to leave. He stared at his friend for a moment and then gave him a warm smile.

"So I guess you're leavin'," Iceman said quietly.

Pyro bit his lip. "Yeah, it's been two weeks and I haven't done anything. I feel... I feel like I need to settle myself, you know, Bob? I just... I need to find out for sure if she's alive or not. There's a part of me that won't rest until I find her- or at least find out the truth."

Bobby nodded knowingly; he didn't want his friend to leave, but he knew that John had to, for his own sanity. And then he fought something back that he had wanted to say since Pyro had vowed to find Mystique. He twisted his lips and bit his tongue, but no matter how much he held back, he couldn't contain himself. The pressure of the words seemed to grow behind his lips and finally, they were released.

"I want to come with you."

He had said them. But now Pyro's expression was blank.

Surely, he would say no. Surely, John would wave Bobby aside yet again and tell him that it wasn't any of his business. But that was just the opposite; a broad smile appeared on Pyro's face and he pulled Iceman into a hug.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask!" He chuckled. "And no offense, dude, but you're late."

Bobby smiled. "So, I can come? You're not gonna leave without me this time, 'Dyce?"

John shook his head. "Ice, there are some things that I can live without, but you are not one of them. It's gonna rock! The two of us, in the world, searching for something that may not exist! You can't tell me that it's not appealing..."

Bobby shook his head. This was the happiest he had ever seen the fiery mutant in a long time, especially since the news about "Mystique". Truthfully, everyone felt terrible for Pyro, but John didn't like that at _all_. He absolutely _hated_ when people pitied him. If Bobby had learned one thing from being friends with John, was that you didn't want to piss him off. Just like Pyro's mutation, he was one fiery guy.

So as fast as he could, Iceman threw everything he could into his duffle bag. In no time, the two teens were ready to venture out into the world and begin their search. Quietly, they exited their room and padded softly down the hallway. Reaching the main staircase, they both made certain that no one was around; it seemed like an eternity before they finally had their hands on the knobs to the front door.

The cool gusts of air threatened to chill them to the bone as they snuck into the night. They hadn't gone five steps when a gruff voice behind them made them whip around.

"So it's finally happening," Logan said as he walked out of the garage, throwing down a greasy cleaning rag.

Bobby and John didn't know what to say. Their mouths were attached to anvils and they could not speak.

"You told the professor, right, John?"

Guilty as charged.

Dropping his gaze to the ground, Pyro shook his head. He knew that Xavier would be mad at him if he just up and left. But...

"It's a good thing he already knows, or he would be pretty worried."

Both of the teenagers' heads snapped up to face Logan.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked. But the Wolverine gave them a disapproving look.

"Do you honestly think that you _need_ to tell Charles that you're leaving? He's known what's been going on this whole time." And then to put out the fire that was about to explode, he added hastily:

"Except about Mystique, Pyro. He didn't know about that."

John felt his muscles loosen as Wolverine added the last bit in. If Xavier had known all along about Dark Phoenix tricking him... There would have been _Hell_ to pay.

"So do you know where you're gonna start?" Logan said, breaking the mutual silence. Pyro merely shrugged. He had absolutely _no idea_ where to begin. He had thought about going straight to the Brotherhood Island, but that proved to be dangerous and he wouldn't lead Bobby to a place like that.

"So you're looking for a girl who can become _anyone_, who you don't even know is alive, in the span of _the entire world_,and you haven't got a clue where to start?"

"That's pretty much it, I guess," John said dejectedly. But Wolverine chuckled.

"It sounds to me like you need to go with what you know. Remember your instincts, Pyro; they'll get you to where you wanna go. How do you think I'm still alive?"

"Because your mutation prohibits you from receiving any form of bodily harm and it's not easy to kill you."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Okay, smart-ass. So just go to the Brotherhood's hideout; I know you've thought about going there."

"I'm not taking Bobby there!" John yelled suddenly. "They'll hold us prisoners!"

Wolverine stepped forward and smacked John on the head.

"You don't get it, do you? Don't you think that Magneto _knows_ that you'll be looking for her? He's _pissed_, John. Dark Phoenix, the sexless son-of-a bitch, tricked him, too! He'll give you a lead if Mystique's not there. Trust me."

John knew that Logan was right. There was nothing else for him to do; they had to go talk with Magneto. So picking up their bags, the two teenagers walked away from the mansion and toward the main gates. Pausing for only a moment, Bobby and John stepped off of the Xavier property and into the world that awaited them. They both walked on in silence until Bobby posed a question:

"Do... do you think we'll find her, 'Dyce?"

Pyro swallowed hard. The truth was- he hadn't the foggiest clue. This whole mission could be for absolutely nothing. But something inside of him wanted to try; he _had_ to try.

"I don't know, Ice. But I hope we find something."

_God, do I hope._


	2. Greetings

*A/N: I've noticed that some of you are curious about Firecat! Well, DO NOT WORRY! I PROMISE that I haven't forgotten about her! I told you: _everything will be answered!_ :) Until then, I'm afraid that you're just going to have to wait until the right moment... or chapter, rather...

  
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_Bobby's sleeping on the floor. The night forges on and still, I do not feel tired whatsoever; my mind races with questions, and it seems that my blood no longer feels like clotting, but yet... like it's beginning to flow naturally. I'd hate to find out what happens if Mystique isn't alive..._

_So while the Iceman's sleeping, I'm driving this boat. We found it on the beach, keys and all. Bobster thought it was a lucky break, but I dunno... What if we're expected? What if... what if everything that's happened in the past few months has been a set up and I'm slowing traveling to the bitter end? If I knew for sure, I wouldn't have brought Ice along. I don't want him to get hurt._

_I shouldn't even be writing this down; it's amazing what you can write in a tattered book that doesn't seem to hold any obvious value... But I might as well throw it away. What good would it do if someone found this and read it? But there I go, rattling on. My wrist is starting to hurt; I guess it's from lack of writing. I used to write a lot, but ever since my first encounter with the Brotherhood, I haven't had the time._

_Writing is my escape- or... was, rather. It just feels good to get this all down, put it away. But then... there's always the chance that someone will find it and read it to someone else who will then... ah, what the hell. What do I know? I'm just a pathetic kid who's in love with someone he can't have, who might not even be alive._

_And still, I doubt her. I've been played the whole time! I bet as I write this, I'm falling into some master plan of the Brotherhood or some other organization. But what would I be able to do? Scorch them? No. There are way more powerful mutants out there... but I met the very one who you'd never want to mess with._

_Yeah, Phoenix was a bitch, but there's no time to write all that down. It would take too long to write down everything that I've been through over these last few months. I would have to be really dedicated to put all this to paper..._

_But I'm deluding myself. It's time to throw this paper into the water and get rid of any evidence of my feelings. Besides, if Mystique is dead, it's gonna be time to be the old Pyro- the arrogant one who liked loose women and botching his homework. It doesn't matter now... everything I am, and will be, resides in one mutant- one woman- who taught me everything, yet gave me nothing..._

John tore the used pages from the small, disheveled book and felt the binding give as if it had been waiting to break free for ages- as if it wished to sprout limbs and stretch them in relief. Years of being confined to the same cracked-leather binding tired out the thin string that had once flawlessly been constructed to hold each page. But now, the antiquated book was being torn apart, its insides now were being sprinkled into the calm, silent ocean, to be lost... forever.

Unconsciously, John's hands moved gracefully in the air, dispersing the tiny shreds of paper. He watched each word that he had written, float above the water until it was too much; each piece was forced apart and John was there to witness it all. It was as if... if he had just taken a life, the way he felt. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the moonlit water as it soaked each particle, sent it to death; he had said it once, and he'd say it again: the ocean was the biggest son of a bitch there ever was.

Even though his hands were now empty, Pyro continued the motions of sprinkling the paper. He could not stop. Years of flicking his lighter open and closed had become a habit and had given him a sense of comfort. From this comfort, stemmed grace and elegance. Of course, he didn't know it, but he had grown to understand and control his powers every day. When he attacked, this seemingly effortless beauty and charm of movement and form that he had come to possess, shown through and he was in total control. 

And the worst thing in the world is someone who can control fire when no one else can...

"Hey, are we there yet?"

Bobby Drake stood up shakily and stretched. He bent down for a moment and then righted himself and cracked his back.

"Almost, Ice," John assured his sleepy friend. "Almost."

Bobby rolled his neck and felt the distinguished _crack crack crack_. Then, he was satisfied and he sat down on the deck. He wanted to talk to John about what he had felt for Mystique; hell, he wanted to know _everything_. But he was afraid of what John might say; he didn't want to interfere with whatever went on. But... what were best friends if they couldn't talk?

"'Dyce, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

Iceman gulped. "Well, I didn't want to ask you before, but..." Nothing in his life had been harder to say than what he wanted to ask Pyro. They both sat, unspeaking, until Bobby mustered up the courage to voice his inquiry.

"Did you love her? I mean... what was it like?"

Drake held his breath; he didn't want to be thrown overboard if Pyro decided that it wasn't the time to talk. But again, Bobby was surprised by John's reaction.

"I _did_ love her. Or... at least I _thought_ I did. I mean, it felt so real, Ice; something about the way she looked at me was just... I knew I loved her, but I never said it. I never told her. But I s'pose it doesn't matter now, I mean, it was Dark Phoenix not Mystique; and Phoenix is incapable of love."

Bobby listened to Pyro as he sighed deeply. He hated to see his friend in so much pain...

"You taught her love, 'Dyce. If you ask me, that's like a public service! Okay, she's some all-powerful mutant, god-like thing, so it's more like a cosmic service... but whatever the case, you taught her something that you can't learn. You've just gotta... find out for yourself. I mean, maybe since you taught her... it... she... it... doesn't really know. We know that Dark Phoenix merely copied emotions from you; I doubt you can copy love. Well, I've never _personally_ been in love, but..."

"What?" Pyro interjected. "What about Rogue? Aren't you guys kinda... you know?" He watched his friend fidget; John could tell that Bobby was nervous to say what was on his mind.

"Well, it's not really like that. I mean, it's hard to like the girl sometimes; she's all over the place and obsessed with the fact that she's gonna hurt me! One second, we're havin' a good time and then she ruins it by flinching away. And not to mention Logan..."

"What about him?"

"She's so into him, and it's _so_ obvious! Every time he's around, her eyes stay glued to him; anything I say in that period of time is lost to her."

John sighed. His lips formed into a smile as he let go of the wheel for a moment and patted Bobby on the shoulder.

"Ice, it's gonna be all right. Think about it... Oof!"

Suddenly, both boys were jerked violently to the back of the small boat. John had to grab Bobby's hand to prevent him from falling overboard. Getting their bearings, both teenagers stood up carefully and surveyed their surroundings; Bobby had never been to the Brotherhood's hideout, but Pyro had. He knew they were there and the boat ride was over.

Quietly, Iceman and Pyro tied up their boat to a rock that jutted out from the beach. When they were sure that it was secure, John motioned Bobby to follow him. He knew that they were taking a great chance in coming here; would Magneto accept them?

Finally, the pair made their way to the front entrance. The Brotherhood's hideout loomed before them, malefic in its outward indication. No sign of life did they see, but they knew that was all a trick to deceive the ignorant and foolish. _Pyro_ knew what lied inside; he knew what he would find, but he didn't know if hospitality would be one of them.

Unsurprisingly, the door was locked.

"Iceman?"

"Way ahead of ya."

From Bobby's hands, emitted a solid flow of ice; it immediately connected with the door and its hinges, forming icicles that now clung to the heavy steel and wood. The formation became so sensitive, that it could fall at any moment. Smiling outwardly, Pyro walked toward the door and lightly pushed it over. Clumsily, it fell to the concrete floor. The ice that had once adorned it shattered and each sound echoed in the damp, empty room. The two continued to walk.

"So, ya back again? I thought we'd scared ya away from this place for good last time!"

"Where's Magneto?"

"Why the 'ell would you wanna talk wit' 'im? Why don' we..."

Pyro's patience was waning. In a flash, he launched himself toward the nuisance and pinned him to the floor. He could tell that his target was surprised, for he wasn't such a loud mouth anymore.

"I'm gonna ask you one more time, _Toad_: where is he?"

Toad sighed exasperatedly. "You know, we could have done this better, I think. I was just sayin' 'ello!"

Pyro grabbed the amphibian's hair and pulled.

"Ow! Ow! Easy mate! Fine... fine! Go all the way to th' back, down the tunnel to ya left, then turn right and go down another tunnel. You'll see 'im by then."

Throwing Toad aside, Pyro got to his feet and waved Bobby over. They started to walk, but John turned around and faced Toad again.

"By the way, nice to see you, Toad. And thanks."

The only reply was the amphibian mumbling to himself darkly and trudging up a flight of stairs.

In time, the winding corridors gave up their mission to lose the two mutants, and Pyro and Iceman stepped into a very large, metallic room. It seemed empty but for a shining metal table and three chairs situated in front and back of it. There was no sign of Magneto or anyone else for that matter, until they heard a resonant voice booming into their ears:

"I've been expecting you."


	3. To Trust or Suspect

The figure of Magneto drifted down to the floor from the high ceiling. As he did, John felt himself in absolute wonder; the grace Magneto displayed as he manipulated metal to achieve flight was entrancing. Pyro felt a wave of admiration for the adult, but quickly abandoned it, as he had questions that desperately needed answering.

"I know that I'm expected," John said blandly. "What I need is answers, and you better give them to me."

As Erik Lensher touched down, he swept to the back of his desk and sat neatly in his metal chair. Eyeing the two teenagers, he gestured them to sit down.

"Such bold words for one so easily manipulated," Magneto spat, a metallic twinkle in his eye.

But John didn't have any of it. He felt his blood boil, as it had done so many times in his life; but nothing was compared to the pain that he felt now. How he so wanted to just murder everyone until he found what he needed; how he wanted to be in love and have someone love him in return. If he couldn't have any of that, all he wished for was to never be lied to again. Taking a deep breath of air, he calmed himself and stared right into Magneto's eyes.

"I don't want this to be difficult. I just want to know where she is."

Erik cocked his head. "My dear boy, I have _no_ idea what you're talking about! Who is this _she_ you are referring to? Oh! Do you mean Dark Phoenix? My boy, _that_ is not a woman." The older man gave John a sad shake of his head. Pyro became enraged.

"You know who I'm talking about!" He screamed. "You set everything up and I _know_ that you know where she is! Now TELL ME!"

His chest heaving and eyes flickering with candescence, Pyro stared the older mutant down. Sensing that the fun and games were now over, Magneto sighed and motioned for John to sit back down, for in his rage, the teenager had launched himself from his metal chair and moved dangerously close; Lensher knew when it was time to be serious. But how would this young mutant take it? Again, he sighed and rubbed his temples methodically.

"I'm afraid she is not here anymore, Pyro," he began simply. "The day you were attacked, Mystique chose to leave the Brotherhood; unfortunately, I am not aware of her exact locations, but Toad has been doing a bit of spying. You could imagine how difficult it is to find a shape-shifter in the state of New York, but believe me, it can be done. If one has the eyes and mind to accept it, that is. If you speak with Toad, he will tell you all he knows."

"So she's alive?"

Magneto shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Pyro. Do you honestly think a woman such as herself could possibly be dead? Then again... she might be; but you'll never know until you look, now will you?"

The silence that followed Erik's statement was the cue to leave. Pyro and Iceman raised themselves from their seats and headed toward the exit. But before they could cross the threshold, the mysterious voice of Magneto flooded into their ears once again:

"Remember, Pyro: you've never known her so don't expect her to remember you."

John cringed as Lensher laughed audibly behind them. The duo made their way back to the main room in search of the slimy, green mutant. In no time, their hunt was over and it was time to beat the stubborn mutant for any information that he might have had.

"Hey! You think I'm gonna give _you_ her whereabouts? Ha! And what 'ave you done to me while you've been 'ere? Let's see, you've..."

"It's gonna be a lot more if you don't cooperate, slime-ball," Bobby said threateningly to Toad and gave him a rough shake.

"Fine, you know what? I've got a better idea! Why don' I give you mates a guide, huh? Instead of me tellin' you directions and you lot gettin' lost, I'll give you _someone_ who's come along with me on my li'l "scavenger hunts". What'dya say, mates?"

Toad peered at them through liquid eyes coated with hope. They gleamed through the darkness as the amphibian awaited their answer.

"All right, Toad," Pyro said finally. "Who's this guide and what does he know about Mystique?"

Toad was about to speak, but Iceman rolled his eyes and interjected. His plain tone supplied all anyone needed to catch the blatant sound of skepticism.

"Doubt he knows anything," Bobby said. "I bet this is just another one of Toad's tricks."

"Au contraire," a sudden voice said, making the trio jump. "Much 'ave I learned about dis _Mystique._ And so I hear, much you 'ave to learn as well."

Pyro was speechless, and noticing that no one else spoke, he knew that Bobby was as well. John could just feel the heat radiating from Toad's large grin as the new mutant stepped into the pale light. This particular mutant, John hadn't seen for a few months now, but his figure had not changed. In fact, it might have bulked up since the night when he had so unexpectedly intruded upon the Xavier Institute.

"Wha'? Non 'ello for moi? I s'pose Gambit don' have to take you _anywhere_ if you no want him to."

Still receiving the evil eye from John, the Cajun stood with his muscular arms folded over his chest. Everything that had happened that one night in the MedLab flooded back into Pyro's mind. _The Blood, the carnage, death, fire, ice, metal_- all of the elements of their mutual crime; but let us not forget the cerebral manipulation. John still couldn't be sure if he could trust Gambit yet or not. Could it really be _him_ in control of his body? Or maybe it wasn't Gambit at _all_.

"You still don' trust me?" The Cajun asked. "Well, I s'pose if you non wan' to find your little "girlfriend" den all is well; I will go back to where I come from, and you will search on your own."

Bobby nudged Pyro. "'Dyce, do you think it's safe, trusting him? I mean, you know what happened before..." Biting his lip, Bobby placed a protective hand on his head. "I don't think I can take the abuse again, man."

Nodding, John patted his best friend on the shoulder. However much he wanted to protect Bobby, he just couldn't pass up the deal that Gambit was offering. So fiercely sticking out his hand to the Cajun, Pyro accepted Gambit's help.

"Magnifique! Now, let us be goin' before we waste anymore time. Don' wan' her to be dyin' while we're lookin' for her, huh?"

Ignoring the threatening look that flashed from John, Gambit ran one hand through his hair and headed outside. Giving Toad one last, suspicious look, John and Bobby joined the mutant guide by the boat that they had sailed in on. But before Bobby could protest about how the boat wasn't large enough for the three of them, Gambit turned left and skirted around the nearest corner. In a matter of moments, the sound of an engine could be heard and Gambit floated into view.

"Wow," Bobby said as he stared at the boat that was directed their way. "Dude, we have a really good chance of finding her. You know... I mean... if she's still around..."

John knew that Iceman was picking around the subject, but he was still sensitive to the fact that Mystique might not be alive. But there was no time to think about that! Their ride was right before them and the whole of New York was to be explored.

_Maybe she's not in New York, _Pyro thought worriedly. _She could be anywhere._

The teen felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he remembered the voice that used to answer him whenever he thought to himself. The voice was no longer present, but the lurking suspicion of treachery and deceit always lingered in the shadows.

"You garçons comin'?"

Hustling over, Pyro and Iceman joined Gambit on deck. A few hours later, Pyro sat alone, one arm draped over the railing, one hand flicking his lighter open and shut; sneering and narrowing his eyes he let the flame flicker before him for a moment. He made it grow larger until a decent size blaze hovered in the air before him; then if anyone was watching, they would have seen the flames form into two people with no identifiable sex. Their shapes withered and fell to their knees, screams inaudible, hands fiercely clutching their throbbing heads.

Pyro was going to enjoy this search. And hopefully there would be some adventure along the way...


	4. Stranger in the Night

*A/N: HEY EVERYONE! I'm am SO SO SO sorry that I haven't been updating! I'm terrible, I KNOW. Well, I'm sure that you can forgive me because this chapter is EXTREMELY long and it's just starting to creep closer to the ACTION! So, I'm really sorry for not updating, but you know how school is and extra-curricular activities... Well, I REALLY hope that you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!

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_So here we are- three mutants in search of someone who may not exist. We're feared, we don't know where we're going, and somehow I feel that things are only going to get worse. As I scribble my feelings down, my pain seems to escalate. I can't seem to take my mind off of her; of course I know that Phoenix deceived me. Of course I know that Mystique could never love me... but it's all worth a second glance._

_What if Mystique _had_ known me? What if... I mean... she could have been the one who impersonated Raven Thomas, right? And that means she was the one that I..._

Pyro sighed and watched as his hand quivered in midair. He couldn't seem to finish his sentence as he wrote on a small piece of paper that he had found in Remy's car. Each word that he left unwritten flashed before his eyes, invisible to everyone else. He didn't like feeling so insecure, especially to this extent. Why did he still cling to the hope that the shape shifter could still be out there somewhere simply toying with him, waiting for him to come and find her?

"No use t'inkin' 'bout 'er, Pyro," the Cajun said as he turned the steering wheel right. "It'll only make you mad, and we wouldn't want dat."

John blew him off; he didn't even know if he could trust Gambit. And where exactly was he taking them? His answer was revealed as the three found themselves in front of a medium-sized building, its look old but not worn down.

"Is she here?" Bobby inquired.

"Don' be silly," Gambit spat at the teen. "Dis is a place where we can regroup and sleep. Tonigh' I show you where I see her."

Bobby and John exchanged skeptical looks, but were obedient and followed the Cajun up four flights of stairs. With a small jingle of keys and a creak of the door, the three mutants entered their home away from home.

Pyro entered cautiously, his eyes darting from corner to corner, wall to wall. He couldn't help but be suspicious; it couldn't hurt to be prepared for an ambush of some kind. After all, _how_ many times had he been attacked recently? Pushing the stray hair from his eyes, John pushed another door open. Entering this room, he saw two beds, a desk, a nightstand, and a phone. Peering closely at everything, he motioned for Iceman to follow.

"I guess this is our room," he muttered.

Gambit smiled broadly at the two. It seemed that he was enjoying this all to well.

"Dis is where we be stayin'. In a few hours, I take you to de place where I seen her; most likely, she be dere. Now if de two of you will excuse me, I go get somethin' for everyone to eat."

Then with a sharp turn and a rustle of his trench coat, Gambit disappeared behind the front door. It could have been Pyro's imagination, but the door clicking shut had a small tone of finality. Of course, it was probably his imagination running wild as it sometimes did. Turning toward Bobby, he smiled and plopped himself down on his new bed.

"Well, it's not _that_ bad," he tried to say cheerily. "At least LeBeau's got more of a lead than we do. It could take forever to find her though. I just... I just dunno what to expect."

Iceman sat next to Pyro and punched him in the shoulder in friendly recognition.

"'Dyce, we'll find her; if you believe that she's alive, then she is. You know how you hate to be wrong... and you rarely are. It's not good to be a pessimist in this case. You've just gotta relax and think positively. We're gonna find her, 'Dyce. I can feel it too. And come on, if we find her, how many questions do you have for her? Honestly, there's gotta be a lot that you wanna say, right?"

A moment of silence passed between the two as John sunk into a deep wheel of thought. His mind spun and he felt that his mental hands needed to reach out and grab something to prevent him from falling. No, he didn't want to ask her many questions. There was only one thing that he wanted to know:

"Do you love me?"

Bobby narrowed his eyes as he looked at his friend.

"I dunno, 'Dyce, you're kinda scarin' me. But yeah, I love ya like a bro and everything... I dunno about anything else..."

Allerdyce turned toward Drake and gave him a goofy smile. It seemed contagious, for Bobby's face exploded into silent laughter.

"You're a goon, Iceman," John said quietly. "But I'm glad you're with me." 

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

Each monotonous strike from the clock echoed throughout the silent house. Remy still hadn't returned and Pyro and Iceman now lied languidly over two couches in the main room. Again, the annoying chiming started as the clock on the wall struck nine. Without moving his body, Pyro rolled his eyes toward the front door. Almost simultaneously, it opened and a tall figure wearing a brown trench coat stepped into the house.

"Sorry I am late," Remy apologized somewhat uncaringly, almost as if by routine. "But I had ta take care of some business."

Bobby rose from his seat and stretched, the hem of his shirt only slightly exposing his stomach.

"So, where's this place we're goin'? Is it far? I'm hungry..."

John shook his head. "Always thinkin' with your stomach, Ice."

Iceman pretended to look taken aback. "What? I'm a growin' young boy! I need my nutrients or... or..."

"Your penis will shrink and your hair will fall out?"

"Uhh... not quite what I was goin' for... but I guess that works!"

Gambit rolled his unique red-on-black eyes at the two teens. It seemed to John that Gambit might have only partaken in this mission for personal gain. But... was it true? Remy hadn't given them a reason to trust him yet, but maybe that was a reason to trust him in itself.

One hour barely even passed before the three men stuffed food down their mouths. John could barely keep from shaking with excitement as he ate; he knew that Gambit was going to take them somewhere where Mystique had been before. Maybe they would find something there: answers, clues, anything! He didn't really expect to find her there. What kind of a coincidence would that be? And it wasn't like she'd be there as a mutant... oh, no. She'd be decked out in the hottest human female body she could muster. And this was what Pyro was hoping for.

The trio piled into the car with Remy behind the wheel. In no time, he gunned the engine and peeled out of the driveway and onto the main road. The tires screeched their complaints, but the mutants didn't care. They were on their way to _Illusion_, the local hot spot. Without explanation, Gambit headed toward this nightclub; without a word, he parked the car and led the teenagers right up to the velvet rope.

A swarm of people crowded the door, trying desperately to get into the club. But none succeeded. Pyro was wondering exactly _how_ Gambit was going to get them all in, when the older mutant nudged him in the side, wordlessly ordering him to keep quiet.

Remy LeBeau, the master of charm and seduction effortlessly pushed his way through the immense crowd. The air around them was stifling as each body produced enough heat to start a fire; Pyro had to control his urge to _really_ start a blaze. _That_ would make all the people move... but he followed Gambit's instructions and kept his mouth shut; Bobby did likewise.

"Ah, mon ami! How nice it is ta see you again!" Gambit now clapped the burly bouncer on the back, all the while looking into the thick, sunken in eyelids that the man possessed. Without having to think twice, John knew precisely what Gambit was doing. And damn, it was working...

Barely ten seconds flew by before Pyro, Iceman, and Gambit passed that infamous velvet rope. Screams could be heard behind them from protesting crowd members, but the bouncer remained in his position, and the mutants kept on walkin'.

As they entered the nightclub, Pyro felt his mouth drop. He'd never been in a club before; he never felt the need. But what he saw completely changed his mind. Taking a brief glance at Bobby, John noticed the same look was on his friend's face as well. Gambit could have done the decency of holding in his laughter, but a ruthless killer doesn't spare his victims.

"I take it dat dis be da first time dat you two have been to a club, eh? Gambit come to dem all da time, so dey're not'ing to me. Dis place is pretty big, so you two go together and I'll go another way. We cover more ground."

Iceman and Pyro nodded blankly as a woman in practically nothing slinked between them. Remy gave an exasperated sigh and went his way; John and Bobby continued to stare. It was a few moments before the scenery completely sunk in.

The club was mostly full of women, women in barely anything, that is. The room was lit with long strobe lights that swung from wall to wall. The music blared through stacks of tall, black speakers and everyone was dancing on an overly crowded dance floor. The smell of smoke wasn't so much as thick, but an evident haze filled parts of the room; it mingled with the smoke being given off from machines conveniently placed around the perimeter. Hearing stomping above him, Pyro looked up and noticed that the club was in fact two stories. Hundreds of people lost themselves in the music and danced with whomever they felt like.

You could be married to someone one day and divorce them the next. It didn't matter.

You could tease someone for a moment and then go to someone else. It didn't matter.

Everything was impulsive through the music. You danced, you moved, and you teased. It was all expected and accepted. This was _Illusion_, where men could be women or vice versa. The illusion was whatever you wanted it to be.

You could be in love with someone one minute and angry the next. It didn't matter.

You could be suggestive in your dancing but it just didn't matter. _Illusion_ was a place where you lived for the moment. The illusion was: you could meet the girl of your dreams and have the most amazing time. But when you woke up the next morning, she wouldn't be there. It was like it never happened. 

"Whoa," Bobby said suddenly, jabbing Pyro in the side. "Is she somethin' or what?"

John watched as his best friend pointed across the room. His mouth dropped as the most ravishing woman he had ever seen in his life sat down at the bar. Her long black hair swung behind her and seemed to reflect the many lights that danced on her slinky midnight dress. Briefly, her head turned in their direction, but no eye contact was made. The woman continued to sit, yet she did nothing else.

"Dude, go talk to her."

Pyro shook his head. "Nah, man. You do it. I don' wanna."

Bobby shrugged. "Suit yourself, 'Dyce." And Pyro watched as his friend traversed the room and sat next to the woman in the black dress.

Of course he couldn't hear what they were saying, but it seemed to be going rather well. Iceman had her laughing in no time, but the laughter soon stopped as the raven-haired beauty was yanked from her stool by a muscular man in dark clothing. His eyes glowed with rage as he glared at Bobby.

Pyro simply waited for the moment to strike. If the man were to hit Bobby _or_ the woman, it would be all over. But no action could be taken for the two strangers walked out of the nightclub and into the outside world. John felt himself relax, but clenching his fists was all he could do to keep from whipping out his lighter and burning the whole place down. Bobby was now in front of him looking rather perturbed.

"Damn. You'd know it, wouldn't you? You find the most _gorgeous _woman in the entire world and she's taken!"

"More like forced," Pyro spat. Suddenly, he watched Iceman's face fall. His friend's eyes stared directly behind him and Pyro whipped around. The black haired woman was there, right next to the bathrooms. The two mutants exchanged looks of confusion as their eyes followed the stranger's every move to the bar where they could have sworn she just sat. Both teens jerked their heads toward the front door, knowing for sure that this same woman had just been yanked out the double doors...

Without a word, Bobby walked to the bar as the woman sat down.

John watched in full curiosity as Bobby made the woman laugh. The tension seemed to clear, but Pyro's eyes raked the club for the large man that had previously yanked an exact look-alike out of the building. Things were starting to become undoubtedly strange. Then a quick tug beside him returned John's attention to earth.

"She says she wants to talk to _you_," Bobby said in a mock-sexy voice. "If I were you, I'd get over there _right now_. She's not gonna be sittin' there by herself for long! Go on, get goin'!"

With a rough push, John was sent into the crowd on the dance floor. In somewhat of a daze, he walked toward the bar; finally he made it to the strange woman and he apprehensively took a seat.

"I don't bite," he heard her say in a seductive voice. For a moment he was lost in her tone, but he regained control and introduced himself.

"Hey, I'm Py... uh... John. What's your name?"

From underneath dark lashes, the mystery woman's eyes connected with his.

"It's nice to meet you, John. My name is Alexandria."

The two reached out at the same time to shake hands. But when their fingers touched the slightest bit, John felt an electric shock course through him. It ran through his finger and into his veins; it stung his blood as it traversed through his arm and into the very core of his body. Pulling his hand away from Alexandria quickly, he made to leave. Her voice sounded behind him:

"Hey, John! Where are you going?"

He tried not to turn around; he told himself to just walk out. Something about this girl wasn't right and he knew it. Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he knew this girl was trouble. Suddenly, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder and a shiver ran through his spine. Alexandria smirked as she pulled him toward a back door. Unable to flee due to the large crowd around him, Pyro was forced to follow the mysterious woman out of the nightclub and into the dark alleyway that lay behind it.

Then, faster than he could react, he felt his body being violently thrust against one of the hard brick walls. This particular act didn't shock him as much as the warm lips that pressed to his with even more force than he had hit the wall. Losing himself completely in her grasp, Pyro allowed himself to fall into the kiss. What harm could it do? So without thinking, he let his emotions run rampant. Without thinking, he let his hands travel across that slinky black dress.

It seemed almost like a dream as she pressed herself even closer to his frame. But before he could feel anymore, she quickly pulled away from him. Slowly, the tingling sensation left his lips. Opening his eyes, John meant to ask the woman why she did that, but as his eyelids parted all he could see was the night enveloping the dark alleyway. No sounds, no girl, and all the reason to be cautious.

Shaking the previous moment away from him, John made his way down the alley and on to the main sidewalk. He was rewarded with an abrupt start as Gambit flashed into view.

"Whoa! Gambit, man, you scared me. Where'd you come from?"

But the older mutant merely smiled at the teenager and clapped him on the shoulder. A peculiar sensation ran through Pyro again, almost like a warning, just like with Alexandria. Something was going on, but John didn't have the slightest idea.


	5. Intensity

Lying in his bed that felt so empty, the gifted teenager tried to sleep. Visions of the early evening flashed through his mind and burned through his eyelids, which threatened to close. Sleep was barricaded, but the cerebral wall couldn't take the beating for long. Finally, and without warning, another troubled mind of the world was laid to rest, at least for a few more hours. But there were always dreams to overcome.

John Allerdyce awoke the next morning in the same position that he had fallen asleep. Running one hand through his hair, he let the other wipe the sleep from his eyes. When he could finally see straight, he stumbled out of his bed and into the main hallway. Gambit and Bobby were nowhere in sight.

Frantically, John's eyes darted in every direction, thrice falling on the clock on the wall. It was nearly twelve and his comrades had disappeared; then suddenly, the worst came to Pyro's mind. What if there had been a struggle and he was too exhausted to wake up? What if Gambit had betrayed them and had taken Bobby somewhere and killed him? The possibilities seemed impossibly endless. There were a plethora of situations that Bobby could be in right now... but which one was right?

Quickly, he made his way into Gambit's room; everything was still the way it was last night. Remy hadn't picked up and left. But then where were they?

Running back into the short hall, John was beginning to fear the worst. Then his clouded eyes fell on the tiled counter in the kitchen.

_Pyro,_

_ Don't freak, man. Remy and I went out for some lunch after you didn't wake up when we shook you... repeatedly. Well, hope you're doin' okay and Gambit & I should be back soon. Hey, if you're lucky we'll bring ya back some food! That's if I don't eat it all... hehehe. Okay, anyway, I know how you like to assume the worst, so here's a note! Hope you saw it in time. (Knowing you even better, you didn't find this before you freaked out. But hey, what can ya do?) Alright, the Cajun's cursin' up a Miss'ippi storm, so I'll see ya soon, 'Dyce..._

_ -Ice_

John read the note and immediately settled himself. His heart rate dropped and his mind cleared as much as it possibly could. As his body calmed, Pyro made his way to the living room and hopped over the couch, landing on the less-than-soft material. Nevertheless, he was comfortable.

"Well, seeing that I'm here alone," Pyro said to no one, "I might as well have some fun."

Then his mind did a double-take: _But what was there to do?_

An hour went by before the front door squeaked open and Iceman and Gambit walked into the living room. Before they even entered, they could hear music blasting and the random strums of an acoustic guitar. Bobby simply shook his head as he knew exactly what Pyro had gone and done. He knew the second he had seen that pawn shop across the street. Pyro was singing.

_'Out along the edges  
Always where I burn to be.  
The further on the edge,  
The hotter the intensity.  
  
Highway to the Danger Zone.  
Gonna take you  
Right into the Danger Zone.'_

"Oh. Hey, guys."

Gambit stepped in front of Bobby and locked his unusual eyes onto the stereo next to John.

"Where did you get dat?" The question was asked almost sternly, as a parent would reprimand a child. This was one of the many things that Pyro could only tolerate for so long. Bobby was ready to disappear for a while; he knew what happened when 'Dyce got angry, and he knew all _too_ well what happened when 'Dyce was _really_ angry.

"Hey," Pyro said smugly, "you're not the only one with quick hands, Remy. Besides, it wasn't worth much anyway. Not like anyone saw me..."

"Do you know what could happen if you were caught?"

John turned the volume down on the stereo and stared Gambit in the eyes. "You know, I don't believe I was caught. So if we could drop this, it would be cool. Besides, _Remy, _as I recall, were you not once a thief yourself? For many years in fact. And don't you think I needed to do some stealing to survive when I was young? Damn, at least I know what side _I'm _on."

LeBeau's nostrils flared for a moment as he took a sharp intake of breath. His eyes seemed to challenge Pyro's as the two mutants' eyes continued to lock on to one another's. Neither of them moved for a moment until finally, Remy broke eye contact.

"Fine, if dat be what you wanna do, do it. But don' come cryin' ta moi when you end up gettin' caught."

"Dude, Remy. You act like I'm gonna do it again! Come on, I was bored, I needed some music! Besides... I'm really startin' to get the hang of this new guitar. Wanna listen?"

But Remy had already locked the door to his room and lied down on his bed.

"Woo," Bobby exhaled. "What crawled up his Cajun butt and died?"

Pyro laughed. "I dunno. Usually Gambit's up for stuff like that. I have no idea what's wrong with him. And come on, _everyone_ knows that he used to steal!"

Bobby nodded knowingly. "Yeah, but 'Dyce, you've got to put into perspective that Remy might want to change. You know he had remorse for some of the things that he did..."

John lowered his eyes for a moment and strummed his new guitar. The newly strung strings harmonized for a split second before the soft sound lightly faded away. John's eyelids closed and he leaned back so his head was on the seat of the couch. His body still remained sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"You know, Ice..."

_Knock, knock, knock._

Suddenly, both teenagers' eyes raced toward the front door. Who would be knocking for them?

"Maybe it's a neighbor complaining about the music," Bobby offered.

John shook his head. His mind though of another possible idea; but could it be? Quickly, he raised himself up and let his guitar fall back onto the couch. Making his way toward the door, he wished for a peep-hole. But no such luck, there was not. He would just have to open the door and face who was on the other side. Carefully, he slid back the deadbolt and slowly turned the knob.

Alexandria stood on the opposite side.

John was in utter astonishment. His lips tried to form words, but all they could do was remember the kiss that they had received just the night before. In a daze, he watched the mystery girl bite her lip.

"Hey, uh... John. I know this looks a little weird, but it's not. I mean, I'm at your apartment, that's a bit strange but... I just saw you come here after the club and I kinda wanted to talk with you again... if that was okay. I just... I mean..." She cleared her throat, unsure what to say next. But a smile played on Pyro's lips as he extended his hand toward her.

"It's no problem; I was actually just thinking about you. I'm sorry about the place, it's really not ours, only temporary. But you can come in if you want." A half-apologetic half-thankful grin was his reply as the two entered the shabby apartment.

As the door shut again, Bobby's head craned around the corner to see who was coming. His mouth fell open at what he saw- the girl that they had met at the club last night was in their apartment. Iceman couldn't help but think that this was a bit odd, but all of his thoughts came to a screeching halt as John approached him.

"Ice, you remember Alexandria?"

Bobby nodded and gave a polite smile. "Hey, 'Dyce, I think I'm gonna go take a walk for a bit. Get outa the house, you know? Well, I'll catch you guys later."

Before John could answer, Bobby had split.

Not really knowing what to do, Pyro stood there for a few seconds. All he could do was stare at the mystery lady, her ebony hair cascading down her back. He wanted to touch her again...

"Oh, uh, there's someone else that I'd like you to meet," he said rather nervously. Walking through the hallway, he found Gambit's door and knocked on it experimentally.

No answer.

_It figured. Gambit loved his privacy._

Suddenly, Pyro felt very alone.

"Hey, do you wanna sit down or something?"

The two cautiously strode into the living room and Pyro quickly moved random objects so Alexandria could sit.

"Actually, I wanted to apologize for last night," he heard her say.

_But what had she to apologize for? Nothing happened that John regretted. In fact, he wanted more._

"I just left and it wasn't like me to be so forward with you. I think I might have been a little drunk." She inhaled and looked him in the eye. "Can you forgive me?"

There was absolute silence until John found his hand resting on Alexandria's cheek.

"There's nothing to forgive."

Smiling, and a tad embarrassed, she bit her lip again and lowered her eyes. John scooted closer to her on the couch; suddenly, things got just a bit more interesting.

Lifting her face toward his, John pressed his lips against hers and kissed her passionately. He could hear her moans and that only drove him even more wild. All he wanted to do was be closer to her; and he got his chance. This time, she wasn't getting away. Slowly, he slid his tongue into her mouth and felt her reply. His hands moved lower, one resting on her left thigh and the other on her back, stroking her raven hair.

Her hands rested on his chest, both unsure of where to go. Pyro felt all of this incredibly appealing; carefully, he removed his hand from her thigh and placed his hand on top of hers. Slowly, he directed her hand lower, to the hem of his shirt. Suddenly, he was surprised to feel Alexandria's hands finding themselves up the inside of his clothes. So much for the inexperienced girl he thought she was... But who was complaining?

Still kissing, John moved his hands toward the bottom of Alexandria's shirt, silently asking for permission. No attempt was made to stop him, so John slowly removed her blouse and let his mouth travel down her throat and to her collarbone. She tasted so sweet; he had almost forgotten what a woman tasted like. This was perfect and he never wanted it to end.

But all the time he was with Alexandria, he was really thinking of the woman that got away.

____________

  
*A/N: (action is coming!)


	6. Mutant vs Mutant

"So what did you two do?"

John raised his eyes while still strumming his new guitar. He looked at Bobby and shook his head without much emotion.

"I dunno, Ice. It was like... well, _obviously_ we did more than talk. But ya know, she really surprised me. For a second, I thought she was some sex-goddess; that was when she pulled me into the alleyway last night. Then when she came here, it was almost as if she had completely lost every bit of her confidence. When we kissed, she didn't even know what to do with her hands. It was like she was a different person."

Pyro stopped for a moment and thought to himself. His thoughts, without him knowing, formed into audible words:

"Then out of nowhere, she was wild! All I did was give her a little shove in the right direction and then she was all over me. I felt like... she was holding back for some reason. Like she knew what to do, she wanted to do it, but something wouldn't let her."

"Maybe she's just shy. Or she came from a bad background."

Pyro snorted. "Trust me, Ice, by the way she was acting earlier, that girl's got no shame."

Bobby's eyebrows knitted together.

"'Dyce, has it ever come across like Alexandria may be just another trick thrown at you by the Brotherhood? I mean, she just magically appears one night, takes a liking to you, throws you and molests you in a dark alley..."

"Hey," John said while wagging a mock-stern finger at Iceman. "There was no molestation in that alleyway last night. It was one kiss and then she disappeared. Then Gambit popped up outa nowhere and scared the shit outa me, and the rest is history."

Iceman still wore a look of skepticism. Some other factor was playing in this fame and it wouldn't be revealed until the timing was just right.

_Or if it's pried from its harbor of safety and left to be drowned or ripped apart by sharks..._

But Bobby's thoughts were derailed as a proposition, stemmed from boredom, arose.

"Hey, Bob, wanna walk down to the plaza? There's some pretty cool stores; we can go check 'em out."

His friend shrugged and nodded in agreement.

"Man, anything right now would be better than stayin' here. Let's go."

"And where do you t'ink you're goin'?"

Pyro's hand, which had just begun to turn the brass knob on the front door, balled into a fist.

"Ah, the voice of authority. What the hell do you want, Cajun?"

The tall mutant paced closer to Pyro, his face hard and eyes, intent. Despite the harsh crimson color, his eyes frosted over with a distinguishable coldness. His very orbital seemed to be the product of both fire _and _ice. Dangerously close to John, Remy leaned closer, his face inches from the teenager's. John suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable.

Gambit's voice chilled him.

"We wouldn't wan' anythin' 'apnin' ta you two, now would we? Gambit non put 'imself in a position of gettin' in trouble. You go, I go. And I non wan' ta hear any of your complaints."

Silence wove itself around the trio until the very oxygen they breathed was as carbon monoxide, clouding their lungs and suffocating them slowly. The thick stench of distrust radiated from every pore of Pyro's body. But nevertheless, he had to realize what Gambit was ordering was the best.

"Fine," John finally said. "It's not like I have a choice."

And with that, he flung open the door and quickly made his way down the few flights of stairs.

A half an hour later, the three found themselves at the plaza. Not wanting to say much to anyone, Pyro made his way through the shops alone, quickly losing his two comrades amongst the orderly chaos. Fuming, the teen walked underneath the brick archways not paying any attention to where he was going. If he had been, he would have seen the burly man that he had run into.

"Hey! Watch where you're steppin', freak."

Needing something, or someone to vent his frustration out on, John Allerdyce pounced on the opportunity to start a fight.

"Why don't _you_ watch where _you're_ goin', jackass?"

As he had hoped, the stranger turned back around and faced Pyro. The man's arms alone were the size of John's entire body. But when Pyro was angry, he wasn't exactly clear-headed. There was always hell to pay. Again, the mutant opened his big mouth:

"Yeah, you heard me! Wanna start somethin', asshole?"

Both men approached each other and locked eyes. The larger man spoke and chuckled softly.

"You ain't worth my time, small fry." He waved Pyro away, his hand barely grazing John's shoulder.

That was the very thing Pyro had been waiting for. Matter over mind, a single fist flew and connected with the stranger's jaw. In that split second, a whole series of events was set into play. The muscular man was unhurt, but extremely surprised.

"Takes balls, kid. But you messed with the wrong person."

Almost like a warrior, the larger man let out a cry and launched himself at Pyro; he wrapped his thick hands around John's middle and squeezed with deathly-proportioned force.

Suddenly, Pyro couldn't breathe. His internal organs were being crushed and he felt his ribs in their struggle to stay intact. Dizziness washed over him and he regretted ever starting the fight. An image of him and his life flashed before his eyes. He watched and felt his blood at the same time, clot and then dissipate. From nowhere, he felt a quick wisp of air and then his lungs were able to finally expand.

Pyro's body flew through the air until he collided with one of the brick archways. Through the small slits of his eyelids, he watched Gambit and Bobby attack the stranger. John figured that Remy didn't want to reveal the fact that they were mutants, for he and Iceman were simply attacking physically. No kinetic energy ever flew from the hands of Remy LeBeau. But John could only watch this spectacle for so long. If someone didn't start using powers to beat up the guy, Pyro was gonna set fire to the whole square.

And he did.

Faster than anyone could stop him, St. John whipped out his lighter and formed a massive ball of flame. Controlling it with ease, Pyro directed it _and_ his anger toward the burly assaulter.

"'Dyce! What are you doing?"

John hear Bobby yell, but he ignored him. Starting a fire was now his main mission; every fireball he sent out furthered his desire to burn even more.

He found himself addicted to the screams of the public.

He found himself loving the initial reaction of passers-by when they realized that they were in the company of a mutant.

"Allerdyce, wha' you t'ink you doin'! Dis is de Juggernaut! More of 'is kind could be close by."

But words were lost to Pyro as he fed his addiction.

More fluid.

More spark.

More fire.

Just when Pyro felt like the fight was over, more mutants surrounded the trio. Juggernaut found his footing and joined his group. It was their six to Pyro, Gambit, and Bobby's three; the odds were not exactly fair. Nevertheless, Pyro was exhilarated. With a sly grin on his face, the teen positioned his hand directly above his lighter. When the first spark caught, it instantly jumped into the fire-manipulator's hand.

Then, as if by habit, it awaited its master's bidding.

It needed not to wait long, for Pyro knew exactly what was on his mind. That one orb of elemental energy split into fifty separate shards. Each fragment shaped into discs with razor edges. Then giving the final command, Pyro directed each fiery disc toward the opposition.

Screams of agony filled John's ears and he could not suppress his happiness. His laughter mixed with the sounds of crackling embers and blazing heat. His gift alone had taken six adversaries. Alone, he had fought a battle. He was a god among mutants.

Smiling smugly to himself, Pyro turned toward Remy and Bobby. Both stared at him as if he were some type of wild animal. They looked scared...

"What's wrong, guys? I thought you were up for some fun!"

Remy watched as their six adversaries ran for their lives as the destructive element still clung to their clothing. Quickly, Bobby directed his hand toward each person, forming a solid block of ice around them. The fire went out and the six other mutants were now of no threat. Gambit turned his attention toward the teenager.

"You could have been killed, Pyro! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Hey, don't get too angry, your accent's goin' away," Pyro chuckled.

Bobby gave his best friend a saddened look. "'Dyce, you would have been crushed if it weren't for Remy. I think you owe him a thank-you or something..."

That stopped John in his tracks. Remy _had_ saved him from being crushed; but he didn't scare the Juggernaut and his friend away _completely_. Remy stood there in wait.

"Hey," John said acidly, "look at it this way, LeBeau: you didn't have to fight much for me."

But as John walked back toward the apartment, he never thought about how that particular mutant had fought for him without question. It never crossed his mind that his comrade would save him many more times in the near future.


	7. Hidden Not From the Heart

Alone was how he liked to be. There was really no one that could dig him out of the hole that time had buried him in so ruthlessly. John was completely convinced that no one on Earth was going through as much pain as he was. Who had been tricked into falling in love? Who had been deceived by someone? Who... who had lost all hope?

What he didn't realize, was that many people were feeling just like him at that exact moment. So many people at that very second were balling their eyes out, immersing themselves in sorrow for one reason or another. Either their spouse had died or another loved one. A person or thing very dear to them was lost forever. A teenage girl sobbed uncontrollably in her cold room as her beige carpet turned red from one simple mistake- a slip of the hand.

A misunderstood boy laid alone in his room somewhere, not knowing what to do next. His mind ached with possibilities, yet none seemed good enough... or bad enough. He had no friends, his parents hated him, and he was a freak. But he did not cry, he did not scream, for someday he prayed that things would be better. One day he knew that people would accept him and love him for who he was. Or maybe... maybe he would be doomed to be hated for eternity.

Each of these scenarios ran through St. John Allerdyce's mind. His years of poetry had invaded his conscious and now drove him into insanity. Being so deep, thinking far too much was his curse. And yet... he used to be the shallowest person in he world. How could that have been? But he soon forgot about it and refocused on his self-pity. He didn't care about anyone else at the moment. All he cared about was himself.

Wasn't that okay?

He wished that he could meet someone who had it worse than him just so he could feel like he was worth something. He knew there were more people with awful lives.

One of them was behind him.

"I know 'ow you're feelin', Pyro," Gambit's voice said. "I, too, 'ave lost someone very important to moi."

John wanted to turn around and yell at the Cajun, but he found himself unable. Every ounce of him poured thickly from his body and was soaked up into his bed sheets or the floor, being hidden from him; he couldn't react. Quietly, he let Gambit approach him and sit next to him on the bed.

"I am in non place to give you advice," Remy started, "but I feel like we are in de same ship. Maybe..."

But before Gambit could finish, John had began to speak. His voice was cryptic and slow, almost painful to listen to as he whispered every bit.

"Do you know what it's like to lose control? To just break free of the constrictions around you and lose your mind? It happens to me; it happens all the time. I hurt people. I _murder_ people. And I can't stop. I can't stop..."

John's voice began to shake and tears welled up in his eyes. Suddenly, his face began to sting as each teardrop fell down his cheeks and rolled over his trembling lips.

"I... I'm not in control. I give in every time and people get hurt. I'm not like this, Remy, I'm not! I can be better... I can change... I can be in control!"

"So what's stopping you?"

Allerdyce found his hands raking through his hair. For a moment he appeared to be melancholy, as he was before, but now his voice was coated with absolute hatred as he spoke:

"_You."_

Without warning, Pyro grabbed Gambit by the neck and shoved him against a wall. The victim screamed with pain as they collided sharply with the barrier; Gambit's red on black eyes sealed shut upon impact and every muscle in his body tensed.

"What are you doing?" He managed to gasp, as Pyro had his fist clenched tightly around Gambit's throat.

"Something I should have done a long time ago. I didn't see it before, but I see it now. I'm not as _stupid_ as you think I am."

Roughly, John took his other hand and smacked Remy across the face, leaving a red imprint of his hand.

"Feel familiar?" The teenager asked spitefully. "Or do you want some more to refresh your memory?"

Four more strikes touched the victim's face, each drawing a tear from the closed eyes.

"Why won't you open your eyes, _Gambit_, afraid of what I might see? I have an idea! Why don't you _shock me_ with your _POWERS, _HUH?!"

_SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!_

Pyro continued to slam his victim into the wall. Repeatedly he did this, until he felt like the other mutant had had enough. He let him sink to the floor in a silent heap. In a fit of rage, Pyro picked up his foot and violently kicked the mutant below him; each impact made him even more angry.

"Show yourself, damn it! Show me what I _know_ you are!"

The heap on the floor began to sob, its entire body shaking as it did so. John tried to see its face, but it cowered in the corner, afraid of being attacked again.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Pyro screamed.

Slowly, finally, the figure stirred and turned to face its assaulter. Its face, Gambit's face, was swollen and red; tears streamed freely down its face. Blood began to slid from the corners of Remy's thin lips; his skin was ghostly pale. The eyes, however, remained shut.

"Open your eyes," John instructed.

"No," the mutant said quietly.

This only made Pyro furious. He immediately fell to the floor and jerked the hands away from the mutant in front of him. Struggling, he finally wrestled his opponent's hands down and held them to their sides. Their faces inches apart, the two mutants had no choice but to breath each other's recycled air as they recovered from their struggle. John still grasped the other pair of hands tightly, refusing to let them free. Nothing was getting away from him ever again. He spoke; this time, his voice was still stern, but he didn't yell.

"Open your eyes."

Cautiously, the figure's eyelids began to shake. It seemed as if the eyelashes weighed a drastic amount as they were pulled upward. Finally, Pyro was able to see what he had known was always there. He felt himself die inside; right there, his insides churned and his stomach knotted. His palms that so fiercely held on to the other's hands, clammed up. Mouth dry, heart racing, he faced his very dream and most haunting nightmare.

One pair of yellow eyes.


	8. What He Needed

The two mutants stared at each other for the longest time. No interruptions occurred, no heartbeat went noticed. The only thing that mattered at the moment was the intense contact between the two people who occupied the lonely room. Anyone would think that emotions would be flaring, tears would be flowing, but not even the slightest movement introduced itself; what mattered, what really had consequence, was that an answer was lying in wait.

Pyro would get this answer if it meant his life.

The position could be assumed to have been awkward. John still held onto the disguised hands and kept them firmly to the owner's sides. His body lied almost on top of the other mutant's, and his face was inches away from the other's.

_Her's._ _Her hands. Hands I haven't touched for far too long... Mystique's hands._

Slowly, the form of Gambit in front of him peeled away, revealing, what looked to be, a blue, scaly interior. But it was simply another mutant, another person, using that particular body to hide from whatever was worth hiding from. John felt his tongue grow heavy inside of his mouth; he couldn't find anything to say. Finally, the silence drove him to speak.

"I knew it was you," he said quietly.

The yellow eyes studied him, but the blue lips said nothing. Mystique's entire composure was relaxed yet powerful. John could not tell what was going on in her mind, but he wished that he could. He awaited an answer, but nothing came.

"It's been you the whole time, hasn't it?" He inquired.

Mystique licked the outside of her teeth. "Maybe if you get off of me, I'll tell you," she said curtly.

Somewhat shakily, St. John released the blue wrists that he had been grasping so tightly, as if life itself was at stake. He backed away from the blue mutant and sat cross-legged in front of her. He watched her every move as she righted herself, shook her wrists out, and began to stare him down. John noticed something peculiar: the brilliant yellow eyes that Mystique possessed were no longer dancing with malice or glee, but now they were simply eyes, giving the impression of boredom.

"So," she said lazily, "I've heard that you've got the story all wrong and you need me to correct it. Don't know how much help I'll be though, seeing as I wasn't involved most of the time."

"What do you mean?"

Mystique rolled her eyes. "Do you _honestly_ think for one second that I would want to waste my time on some pathetic Xavier School Kid? I don't think so; I have better things to do."

Suddenly, Allerdyce became very confused. But maybe that was what she wanted...

"Was it you when the Brotherhood attacked us that night at the MedLab?"

"Yes."

"And you were the one I shot?"

"Yeah, thanks a lot by the way."

John felt the urge to apologize, but he realized that it was neither the place nor the time to be nice to anyone. How could he even be sure that this was the real Mystique?

"So after I shot you, Dark Phoenix inhabited your body, preserving you, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And the girl... Raven Thomas... was that you, too?" This question, he asked apprehensively. If it had been Mystique, questioning time was over; he would know who he loved right then and there.

"Nope," she said shortly. "Not me either. I'm afraid Dark Phoenix has had her way with you, Pyro. There's nothing I can do about that."

John lowered his head. She didn't even hesitate before she answered his question. That meant that it wasn't her; it was never her. In such a minute amount of time, John's emotions had been on a roller-coaster ride. Now, he didn't know what he felt. All he knew was that he had never been in love at all. Everything was a waste of time.

Mystique's metallic voice broke the silence:

"If you're done interrogating me, I have some things to take care of..."

"No!" John yelled unconsciously, grabbing the female mutant's hand before she could walk out of the door. Apparently, she had been surprised by this gesture, and a look of amusement adorned her face before it quickly snapped into annoyance.

"Let go of me," she instructed.

But John wouldn't let go. He wanted to know something, and if he didn't learn it tonight, the opportunity might be lost to him forever.

"Oh, you wanted to know if Gambit's actually here, right? Yeah, he's here. I was just filling in, not really _planning_ to get into this interrogation session. So there. There's your answer, you happy? Now let go of me before I kick the shit out of you."

An idea sprung into Allerdyce's mind.

"How come you didn't stop me when I was hitting you?"

For a split second, John caught the air of hesitation, but that soon diminished.

"I told you I wasn't here to answer questions. I was here to _observe_. Then you freaked out and started hitting me. What was I supposed to do? I find it easier to crush your tiny dreams by telling you the truth, is that so bad? Now," she said, "give me my hand back before I throw you into that wall."

Still, John didn't let go.

"Please, just one more question."

Again, Mystique rolled her eyes and exhaled sharply.

"Fine," she said. "What do you want to know now?"

John averted his eyes from hers and lowered his head; he summoned up the courage he needed and then returned to how he had been before.

"Will you kiss me?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's just... I've been dreaming about you ever since I thought I lost you and... I want to put all of those feelings to rest. If what you say is true, I was never in love. I never cared for you, I never held you... I just want to kiss the woman whom I thought I had."

Nothing but silence split between the two mutants as they stood stock-still. Mystique narrowed her eyes at the male in front of her as his words sunk in. Still, John could not decipher her emotions.

"Fine," she said. "If that's what it's going to take to let you know that you and I never were, it's fine with me. But no..."

Before she could finish, John had already pressed his mouth against hers and pulled her close. All he could feel was resistance, until finally Mystique relaxed a bit and let him deepen the kiss. However, she did not kiss back; she showed absolutely no emotion as their lips touched or as his tongue entered her mouth. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

A minute later, John broke the kiss and stood back. Releasing the blue hand from his, he crossed his arms.

"Okay, you can leave now."

Her reaction was subtle, but there was emotion. John almost felt himself laugh as Mystique's eyes widened a bit at his remark. Nevertheless, she turned her back toward him and walked out of the room, her shapely body quickly morphing into the muscular physique of Gambit.

For the first time in a _very_ long time, St. John Allerdyce felt happy. He felt _free_. Maybe now he could get on with his life and stop worrying about Mystique. Smiling broadly, John slipped on a coat, walked out of his room, and left the apartment through the front door. The sun was setting, casting a magnificent golden glow across the sky. Each cloud was smudged with a light purple and it got darker as the sun continued its descent. Taking a deep breath, John smiled and made his way down the flight of stairs.

Ten minutes later, Allerdyce found himself walking in a new part of town; the sun had already set, but the stars could not be seen, for a blanket of clouds enveloped the entire sky. The only light came from dimly lit streetlamps that occupied the corner of every street. Walking past an alleyway, John heard someone whisper to him. The words were undecipherable, so he bent closer to listen.

Big mistake.

Suddenly, something grabbed the back of John's collar and yanked hard. The mutant stumbled into the dark alleyway and was confronted with at least seven tall men, each clad in black. Shaking the shock from his face, John tried to pick himself off of the floor, but one of the men kicked him back down. John tried again and was met with the same reply. He was getting very, very angry.

"What are you doin' on our turf, small fry?"

"Yeah, small fry, you got somethin' for us?"

Rolling away from the group of people, Pyro finally got to his feet. His blood boiling, he grabbed his lighter and flicked it open.

"Yeah," he said darkly. "I've got somethin' for ya. But you ain't gonna like it."


	9. Interlude

*A/N: Hey everyone! I just wanted to take the time to make a Thank You Page! So, let's take a break from the story for a sec, so I can tell all of you how WONDERFUL you are! Lol...

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ObiwanFan: Hey! Thanks for keeping up with the stories, I really appreciate it! I hope that you enjoy this one as much as the other two! Don't worry about action in this one: there will be plenty! Bwahahaha! More gore, more bloodshed, more heartbreak!!! Uh... yeah... anyway, I'm glad that I can keep your interest and please don't do any of those awful things to me!

The Fire Dancer: Don't worry about not reviewing cause of school. I can't really yell @ you for that b/c I don't _update_ b/c of school! Lol... Thank you sooooooo much for the compliments, I really, truly, appreciate them! The whole Raven/Firecat "issue" will be brought up later... it's kinda important (if you haven't already guessed), lol... I'm purposely not telling all my little secrets cause hey, a writer has to have _something_ under her belt! Thanks for the compliment on the quote, I thought it was funny, too!

FireStarter8: YES I AM BACK! HAHAHA! lol... And YOU are a great reviewer! ;-) I'm happy that my story is interesting to you and that it's at least somewhat entertaining! This, being the last installment, needs to have huge impact on the readers, and I hope that I achieve that. Yes, more action is definitely coming!

Plasma: You are one of my FAVORITE reviewers, and you know why? Cause you're still reading my series! Lol... talk about dedication! :) About the power enhancement... you're just gonna have to wait for that stuff. Somebody likes to jump the gun! And, hey, he's found Mystique, but she's not bein' very helpful, is she? I'd saaaaaaaaaay nooooo. Hehe... Everyone will hate me for this, but you're still gonna have to WAIT! Hey, what do you mean by "explore"? This is a PG-13 Fic here, Plasma! There's only so much I can do... in fact, I think I've overstepped the line a few times... *looks guilty* Oh well...

Starkeeper: You shall see MORE! That's right... a lot more. I hope you're willing to stick around until the story finishes, cause not a lot of my reviewers have returned to read the third installment. :'( Well, I'm sure when you guys get sick of me, you'll leave too... but hey, no worries! As long as you're enjoying it for the moment, right? Yes. You know... I think you have a HUGE problem with PATIENCE!!! Lol... I will update, you have my word.

Sue Penkivech: Haha... your first review made me laugh. Yes, Bobby _is_ in this one more (I figured that I owed it to some of you) not to mention that he's kinda portrayed as John's best friends. And who'da thunk! Logan's giving advice! Oh no. Lol... I can't say that Kitty will have a huge role in this fic, but she might show up sometime? It's uncertain. If you want to see a little more of Kitty, she's in my fic: Rogue. It's a cross between X-Men and Tomb Raider (just in case you're interested!) Thanks for the heads up about Juggernaut, although we've already had this conversation. :) Anyway, you think John deserves a break? We'll see...

Chattypandagurl: Thanks for your compliments and reviews. It makes me very happy that people enjoy reading what's in my mind. I particularly like to write about Pyro because he's just so damn interesting and there's so many things you can do with him. He's fun to make angry as well! :) I hope that you will enjoy the rest of this fic!

Lampetia: It means a lot to me that you enjoy my characterization of the uh... characters. I really take those compliments to heart because the fact that they are not _truly_ my creations, would sort of limit my perspective on them. But you guys assure me that everything is fine, and you tell me when something doesn't smell right. And I appreciate it all! Please do keep on checking back because I'm always happy to gain another reader/reviewer! 

Pequenino: Yes, Dyce and Ice rhyme... very good! ;-) I thought the conversation between Logan and Pyro was funny too! I'm glad that you told me so! It's always nice for me to hear that something that I write and that I, personally, think is funny, is also humorous to someone else! And I thank you profusely! DO NOT WORRY about the Firecat situation. The issue will die soon... promise. You ask very intelligent questions! Why is Pyro looking for Mystique? Mostly, he's looking for clarification. He wants to know if she ever _was_ with him at all, and at what times. Then, if he ever spoke with her, he would know what she knew and did not know. Hopefully, things will become more clear later on!

RogueCajun: Yes! Iceman AND Pyro! Lol... I thought that our main character needed some support. And who better than Bobby Drake? I'm glad that you agree. And Oh my, who else is in this Fic? Could it be... GAMBIT? Rofl... thought you'd like that one! (Obviously). You're an awesome reviewer and I hope that you enjoy the story! Gambit will have more parts (of course) cause he's so cool... so I hope you enjoy that as well. 

Hot-Pepper96: I'm so glad that you like it! Lol... It's hard to keep people entertained with things they can't see now'a'days... so when you compliment my writing, it means even more! "Hot Scene" end too quickly for you? Keep in mind that it's still PG-13. (Otherwise it won't show up on the list when people come to the X-men Category) But maybe a few more steamy scenes will fall into this fic... Who knows! I might... Oh, now you're accusing GAMBIT of causing trouble? I think you need to take this up w/ RogueCajun up there! Lol...

Padfoot4ever: You have got to be the one person who sticks out most in my mind. Mostly because your reviews are so short and then your "signature" is at the bottom. So I see like: "Good Work... *****PADFOOT4EVER*****. Lol... Pretty funny. Anyway, thanks for reviewing and reading and staying dedicated! Truly, I thank you! Again and again and again!

Jen & Tea: The mystery behind Alexandria will be solved! Hey, who said there had to be a mystery? Why can't she just be some crazy girl that has the hots for John? Come on! Does there really have to be something tricky about her? Sheesh, I guess no one believes in that anymore! Lol... J/K... Alexandria will pop up once and again... just read and find out! ;) 

Stri: Who doesn't want more Pyro, Wolverine, and Gambit? COME ON! Lol... Hot guys everywhere and they're only expressed on paper... DAMN I'M GOOD! Roflmao... that's too funny. Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing and please continue to read on! The story can only get more interesting from here on out!

Ginger L.: Thanks for liking my story! I'm glad that you had a happy Halloween! It's always nice to get reviews, so keep it up and stay interested!

Raven: You're dying to see what happens next? Then maybe I should just stop writing! Lol... nah. I'd never do that. I'd probably get a knock on my door from one of you guys and get murdered or something... Lol... Thanks a bunch for your time/compliments/reviews! They are always appreciated!

Forest Elfin: Don't worry about not reviewing as often as you'd like... I mean... YES WORRY WORRY WORRY! You must check back every day and see what is new! ROFL... no, you know I'm playin'. Just please stay interested and keep readin', that's all I ask! You think Mystique and Pyro make a good couple? Yes, I think I think so too... Lol... Anyway, once again, THANKS for your time!

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*A/N: Where have all of my reviewers gone? I'm afraid I'm not as popular as I once was... *sniffle* Oh well, maybe everyone will come to their senses and continue to read! Maybe? maybe? Oh shucks... Well, to those of you who still read, in the words of AC/DC: "WE SOLUTE YOU!" Actually, It would be I solute you, but then it wouldn't be a quote... So, that defeats the whole purpose... Okay... well the next chapter should be up pretty soon!


	10. More Than Blind

*A/N: HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! And to celebrate, here is the newest chapter!!!!!!!!

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Pyro stood, waiting in the darkness. The only lights came from the lamp on the corner, and his lighter, which also waited patiently for its master to ask something of it. Dark silhouettes opposed him, burly in form and muscles tense. The night air was stagnant and chilly; this part of town reminded Pyro of a cemetery. And he knew that if he wasn't careful, his grave would be dug next.

Truly, John hadn't wanted a fight. Finally, he had some sanity, some peace of mind. And what should happen? A group of punks awaken a demon hidden beneath a young face, stricken with too much knowledge. This demon... he liked to play with fire.

Seemingly, the gang could no longer stay still; they made the first move. Each figure pulled out a long blade from the depths of their dark clothing. The metal glittered as it all came closer to the fire; Pyro could see the same reaction in the eyes of the gang members. Slowly, Pyro raised his left hand to his assaulters. Grinning, he snapped his fingers and immediately caught the flame in his palm. With a sharp, metallic _clink_ the lighter was closed and put away.

As he suspected, his attackers paused in their advancements.

"You know," he said silkily, the faintest glimpse of arrogance settling on his tongue, "I bet that I can take all of you out with this single flame." He eyed each of them as much as the darkness would allow. The punks exchanged looks for a second.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say, shrimp."

Pyro tensed. "Don't worry," he said, "after this, you'll think more highly of me than you do yourself. I guarantee you that."

One of the members lunged toward Pyro, arm extended and blade chining. Quickly, the mutant dodged this attack and kicked his assailant to the ground. Then the rest of them surrounded him, pupils blaring with malice. Staying in control, Pyro met this maneuver with a grin. Then as if by magic, the tiny droplet of fire in Pyro's hand began to grow. And as the flame grew, the heat intensified and stung at each gang members' eyes. Unprepared tears slid from their sockets as the brightness and heart clawed madly at their vision.

And Pyro stood in the middle of it all, god-like, as his eyes remained closed in concentration. Never before had he exerted so much power at a single time; he could feel the power leaking from his very brain, his whole body tried to tense, but he controlled it. He _owned_ it.

He could hear the screams around him; he could taste the very fear that polluted the night air. He imagined them all clutching at their faces, crawling on the ground, searching for safety. But Pyro knew, as these goons would now never forget:

Fire was unforgiving.

Let them crawl like ants. Let them bow down to their new master. Allow every bit of scum on this earth to know where they belong- Blinded by the fury of a raging inferno.

Finally, Pyro let his flame diminish. His eyes fluttered open, allowing him to take in the world. Before him cowered the very same men, clad in black, all clutching at their eyeballs. Completely extinguishing the flame, Pyro knelt down to the nearest punk and took the member's hands away from his face.

"You're blind," he explained quietly. "Don't be afraid. Your other senses will heighten. Maybe even your common sense."

The man in front of him shook violently, his whole body convulsing as he sobbed. Pyro raised himself back up and stood over the crumpled man, his tragic masterpiece. Slowly, he turned away.

"Wait!" Someone screamed. Pyro turned around and stared at the man on the floor.

"Don't do this to me, please!" He sobbed. "Give me my sight back!"

Pyro set his jaw firmly and exhaled through his teeth.

"Disaster doesn't give. It takes. Fire strips away and does not rebuild."

Still, the man pleaded. "Please don't do this! It's not fair! Please!"

Pyro turned from the man once more and walked back toward the street. Facing the alley once more, he directed his voice into the shadows:

"Welcome to Hell."

Suddenly, everything was very dark.

John groaned and grasped his head in pain. His vision was blurred and he had no idea where he was, even if he could make anything out. Again, he groaned.

"Ah! He lives. Nasty lump you've got there, but I assume that it will go away."

Absorbing this new voice, John tried to sit up, but whisked his hands to his head as a splitting pain enveloped him. He wanted to see exactly who was in the room, or if it was really a room at all. The last thing he remembered was being in the alleyway fighting a group of gang members. Then... everything else was a blank. Still clutching his head, John made to sit up again. This time it was easier and he noticed that his vision was coming back. What he saw made his mouth stand agape.

In front of him was a beautiful woman, her long black hair twisted behind her head, with two thick wisps on either side of her face. She stared at him with intense blue eyes and as he stared back, he noticed two black lines beneath her eyelids. She was clad in black leather showing how defined she truly was. John made a mental note then and there not to mess with this woman even if he ever felt so inclined.

"That's right," she said. "And you will _not_ feel so inclined because I am not here to do you harm."

Allerdyce felt his heart sink and his stomach knot up. She was reading his mind, something he _particularly_ didn't like.

"It's not my place to make you angry," she said. "I brought you here only so you could know me and my role in your life. I am Sage."

John studied her for a moment, her blue eyes, black hair, and the unique black markings that adorned her pale face. What could she possibly have to tell him? He had never seen her before, but he knew of her. He had heard of Sage, a telekinetic mutant with limited ability- yet a supercomputer. But what did she have to do with him?

"That is a good question, St. John. And I promise that after you leave, you will be even more confused than you once were. The task ahead of you is not an easy one, nor has it been easy for you over the past few months. But you are destined to fulfill course, for no one else can..."

"Okay," he interrupted. "Now you're startin' to freak me out. Lady... Sage... I don't believe in destiny, all right? I'd like to think that free-will takes place somewhere along the line. Don't tell me what I _need_ to do, okay?"

"I understand your anger and need to be defiant, young Pyro, but your abilities in this matter need to be expressed rather than your attitude. I believe you are familiar with Phoenix?"

John snarled. "What about it?"

Sage raised her head, making John uncomfortable as her eyes connected with his. Without speaking, she made him feel inferior despite her size. Her mere presence gave her the air of wisdom and confidence; in respect, he lowered his eyes.

"Don't be short with me, Pyro. There is no need."

"There was no need for everything else I've been through."

Sage slid off of the crushed velvet armchair that she had been seated on and knelt before John, her eyes narrowed sadly. She grasped his hands in her own and shook her head.

"No, St. John. Your past has helped you grow, has helped you become that man that you are. If you do not face your destiny, it is not you who will directly suffer, but the people around you. And in turn, agony will settle in and you will drive yourself insane knowing that you could have prevented it all. I do not doubt your hard times, for I know of all your troubles; even now I see the pain in your eyes. Your heart wishes to be free, yet some restraint has been applied and you don't know what it is. Destiny is more than being forced to do something; you create your own path, therefore constructing your own fate. Intricateness in its own simplicity, I'm afraid. Choose whether to listen or to leave."

Her words stung him like a thousand frigid needles. He didn't know what to think, but what more did he have to lose?

"I'll stay," he said as he watched her red lips form into a smile. She nodded at him and patted his hands.

"You are wise beyond your years, young Pyro. And that is a sad, but wonderful thing. Love can truly alter a person's perceptions..."

"I was never in love..."

"Oh, but you were! I could feel how your heart beat when you were near her, how holding her shook your insides and made you whole. You deny that you have loved at all, but I am here to assure you that Mystique is not all that she appears to be."

"Don't you think I know that?" John spat. "Don't you think I know that she's not what she appears? I _thought_ that I had a chance to be happy... and look where that got me."

He lowered his head and fought back his anger; biting back tears, he listened as Sage's soothing voice floated into his mind.

_She doesn't want to hurt you, John. Do you think Dark Phoenix learned so much from you in so little time that she was able to make you, in turn, feel true love?_

St. John Allerdyce couldn't contain himself anymore. He felt used and dirty. He felt mistreated and lonely. The anger, hatred, and sadness now poured out of him and he fell into Sage's arms; he had never cried so hard in his entire life. All the telepath could do was hold him.

"Don't tell me that you believed her, St. John. Don't dare utter that you think she was telling the truth when she spoke to you last night. She is hiding in a lie, a lie that you must tear apart and find the truth in. Only then will you be strong enough to face your real challenge."

Sniffling, tears streaming down his red face, John spoke:

"My challenge?" He choked. "What is that?"

Sage stroked his face tenderly and kissed his forehead.

"Dark Phoenix will return and you must destroy her."


	11. Between the Two: Prevarication

*A/N: Again, I'm messing with the actual X-Men History, which I know is a precious thing. But to all the hardcore fans, please forgive me! After all, this is just a fic! And by the way: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! to everyone who celebrates it! :) If not, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Hehe... Anyway, on with the fic!

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_Dark Phoenix was coming back. Of course it was... why not? Why not make John's life harder?_

"How do I defeat her?" John asked as Sage showed him outside. He was met with the reaction that he knew he was going to receive. A saddened smile claimed her red lips and as they tried to part to allow her to speak, they merely trembled.

"I cannot tell you, for I'm afraid that I do not know. I am not Destiny, St. John. I do not see the future; I only know what I am told, and that is that if you do not defeat Phoenix, no one will. If you fail, you will become apart of her and the world as we know it will come crashing down."

John sighed. "As if I didn't feel enough pressure..."

Sage lifted his downcast chin with her pale hand. Pulling him closer, she embraced him and simply held him close. John couldn't deny that he felt safe inside her arms. And that was when he noticed something... the only people that he truly felt safe with were telepaths.

"And now you understand," Sage breathed. "You have realized this truth and your body knows what it wants. Your mind craves what you know you need. And you will get it... there is no doubt in my mind, St. John."

Again, the teenager was confused. What did he understand, why had she said that? John didn't even know what he wanted!

"Please," he begged, "just tell me what I want. I can't even read my own mind." He paused for a moment and exhaled sharply. "Please... I'm so lost... I don't know what to do."

Sage smiled. "It is natural to not possess the power to read the thoughts that are your own. That is what makes the individual. I'm sorry that I cannot help you any further, St. John. Some things... you just have to discover for yourself; and some things..."

"What?" John inquired. He was met with a troubled sigh.

"Some things are not meant to happen to such beautiful people such as yourself. If I controlled your fate, young Pyro, you would not suffer so much. But I cannot determine your final course; I can merely guide you."

Desperately, John searched Sage's eyes. He didn't believe a word she said, and she knew he felt that way. Hopelessly, he grabbed her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers.

"I can't do this alone; I don't want to sound desperate, but I am. I don't want to sound like I'm infatuated with being in love... but I am! And I don't... I don't know why. And now I find you... you of all people! You. Someone who I've heard stories of and read about, yet never seen. And I respect you so much because I know your gifts, your powers, and they're amazing! But now I see how truly limited you are. At least when it comes to helping me..."

Slowly, John released Sage and turned toward the door again. The telepath closed her eyes, her black lashes gracefully falling downward. Without an audible sound, she spoke to him:

_Do not hate me because I cannot give you the answers. Your conscience knows Xavier would do no such thing either. Do not think ill of me, my dearest Pyro, for I could never think ill of you. If you trust nothing that I say, at least hear me when I tell you that the challenge that you face will be difficult, but no matter what you might think... you will come out on top. No matter the outcome, you will survive and with that survival will come your heart's desires._

Like a dream, the voice dissipated until all that reached John's ears were the mundane sounds of other peoples' lives revolving around him. The sun had since vanished below the horizon and a magnificent crimson was splashed across the sky. Eerily, that crimson was the color of blood.

Stopping abruptly, the mutant realized that he was right next to his apartment. Apparently, Sage had helpfully guided him home. And he realized something.

Sage was right. He was even more confused than he had ever been. But a certain hope shone through on his once dismal thoughts: Sage affirmed what John thought could never be- that everything was true. And why is it easier to accept a lie over truth?

Because there is comfort in a lie.

Who wants to know what really happened if what really happened isn't what you wanted to know?

St. John Allerdyce wanted to know.

Mystique was lying and he knew that Sage knew the truth. Every fabricated notion revealed its damning thought coated in irony. Who wanted love when they could have revenge? But the situation before John was in his favor. He was in love with Mystique and he could exact revenge on her by making her do something that she didn't want to do.

Love _him_.

And suddenly, walking dreamily in the new moonlight, he was in front of his apartment door- the door that his best friend was surely behind, waiting eagerly for John to come back. And Gambit...

Allerdyce stopped for a moment. Was it Gambit that stood behind that door?

Gently, quietly, John pushed open the door. Before him stood two figures, but neither was Bobby nor Gambit.

They were tall, slender... and blue. They turned to face him as he entered the main room, appearing as if they had just been involved in an intense argument.

"What's going on?" Pyro demanded. He ran his eyes over both of the bodies before him. Neither of them seemed prepared to speak. Finally, a shapely blue figure stepped forward. She lingered in his eye line for a moment before she spoke:

"We're here because of _you_," the first Mystique said darkly. "Dark Phoenix is here to manipulate you, Pyro. I'm here to make sure that that doesn't happen. She's cast illusion on you one too many times and it's going to stop _now_."

"No!" The second Mystique interjected forcefully. "John, please... I'm here because I knew that Phoenix was going to try to take you tonight. I'm not the one you can't trust; it's her!"

"Nonsense!" The first Mystique screeched. "John, I'm sorry I've been eluding you. I really _am_. But I'm here now and I want to be with you..."

"John, you know who the real me is. I don't talk like that!"

John's head began to swim. How was he supposed to find the true Mystique? He fumbled with his words.

"Where's Bobby and Gambit?" He asked. The second Mystique spoke:

"They're safe, John; don't worry."

Choice number two was looking pretty good... but was that a trick as well?

"Ask me anything!" The first blue mutant exclaimed. "I'll prove to you that I'm the real me."

John thought about that proposal for a moment. The real Dark Phoenix could simply read his mind and find the answer; how was he going to ask questions? Suddenly, a voice like velvet slipped into his mind:

_Do not ask foolish questions, for fools seldom prevail. Inquire as to your heart and you shall always succeed._

As fast as the voice appeared, it vanished. John knitted his eyebrows together and stared intently at the two identical women.

"Okay..." he began shakily, "...who used to be my girlfriend?"

"Jubilee," both said simultaneously.

Only at that moment did Pyro actually realize how difficult this was going to become. The real Mystique knew these answers, but he could feel the slightest pressure in his brain, which signaled that an intruder was picking out the solution freely.

"Who was the first to react when I brought you inside the mansion for the first time?"

"Jean," was the unanimous reply.

_Okay,_ John thought,_ I need a question... something harder... _And a thought occurred to him: what if he asked a question that the real Mystique didn't know?

"What did Logan call me on the night that Bobby and I left to find you?"

"Smart-ass," both replied. A look of shock spread across Pyro's face. How could they _both_ know that? How could _both_ of them possibly know?

"_I_ was Logan that night, John. It wasn't real. It was... it was me." The second Mystique lowered her head. "I just wanted to see you again."

John was about to step forward and claim that he had found the true Mystique when the first one turned on its clone.

"You LIE!" She screamed. "Why don't you just leave us in _peace_? I didn't want to tell him the truth and now you're making me hurt him!"

John could see that this was a stalemate. Unless he pulled some kind of deus ex machina here, the situation would only continue to worsen. Worsen until what? Until the three of them fought until the death. Only then would he know the truth Mystique, for her blood would be spilled and the life from her gorgeous yellow eyes would lose their beauty. Dark Phoenix would be unscathed and unemotional. Suddenly, John knew what to ask. The major turning point in his and Mystique's relationship... the helicopter.

"Stop, both of you! I've got one last question." He paused and let the silence thicken. Both pairs of golden eyes settled on him; he shifted under their invisible weight.

"On the helicopter, when you were taking me back to the mansion, we spoke. And I asked you if you'd ever been in love. You told me yes, but kept the name to yourself. Who were you in love with?"

Both female mutants remained wordless for longer than John expected, but only a second has passed before the first Mystique spoke:

"I didn't want to tell you then, but it was you, John. It's always been you. And I'm sorry that I've hurt you; all I wanted to do was keep you safe. I hope that I can eventually make it up to you somehow... if you'll let me."

Before he could reply, a quiet, metallic voice made his blood run cold and his spine shiver painfully.

"His name was Ralph Brickman and we married. I loved him so much but... one day Destiny told me of a child that he and I were to have and... I ran. I was scared and I didn't know what to do; I wasn't ready for a child. For the longest time I grieved my decision, but it was done. And what's done is final and you can't change it."

Tears leaked from the golden eyes and slowly traversed down her unique complexion. She jumped slightly when a gentle hand was placed underneath her chin. It was John, smiling directly at her. She couldn't remember the last time that he had smiled so truthfully in her presence. He caressed her cheek and wiped away the stray teardrops.

"I knew it was you the moment I stepped into this room," he whispered. A relieved look spread across Mystique's face, but a troubled one soon replaced it.

"Then why the questions?" She inquired.

John laughed softly. "Just nosey, I guess."

Then realizing that there had been another entity in the room, the two mutants turned to where the other Mystique should have been. But she wasn't there. The real Mystique pulled John closer and buried her head into the nape of his neck.

"I don't want her to live," she said darkly. Pyro nodded and stroked her back.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll do everything I can to make that bitch pay."


	12. Victim

*A/N: Hello everyone! Ya know, if I just updated sooner, I wouldn't have to apologize so much. I'm really, really sorry about this. I know that it's been a long time, but please forgive me! I've got school to worry about and I'm going to State Competition for Mock Trial in two weeks, so I've been practicing for that. Anyway, hopefully this chapter is long enough for everyone and I hope that ya'll like it!

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He spent the next few minutes merely holding her, grasping to the small shred of fantasy in his arms. What a sinful release from the real world! How cruel to lock a tortured soul away, never to breathe anything but cold, stagnant air. But none of that mattered now. The heartache, pain, and anguish that had resided, uninvited, in his mind now seemed to gloriously disintegrate. He breathed deeply, allowing his memory to make an unforgettable imprint of her scent. Oh, let her live inside of him forever. Let the mutant against mutant war subside. In such a time, a petty individual could amount to nothing next to a prodigious, omnipotent entity. What the hell was he thinking?

"Mystique?" He questioned softly.

He felt her stir in his arms and a sudden pang of guilt struck him for disturbing her moment of silence.

"Hmm?" She replied and let her head rest in the middle of his chest; the soft, methodic beating of his heart had soothed her, but now the smallest change occurred, causing his heart rate to increase almost unnoticeably. Disturbed by this change, the blue mutant shifted uneasily and furrowed her eyebrows.

Sitting up, she noticed that his eyes had already locked on to hers, as if they had been waiting for her head to lift and her eyes to be revealed. Mystique was surprised to feel her face heat up as she looked at him. His appearance was sincere, brown eyes heated with a metallic fire. She knew what he wanted.

"Mystique," he repeated almost breathlessly.

She tried to keep his steady gaze, but her conscience made her turn away in shame. Her morality, though she thought she had lost it, now screamed and raged inside of her.

_You know what you've done,_ it scolded her. _You know that you can never be with him because of what you've done._

_But I want to be with him!_ Her heart screamed.

John watched as the woman in front of him trembled, suddenly beginning to shake violently.

"Mystique! What's wrong?" The tone of his voice was urgent, the look in his eyes of the utmost fear. "Stop, baby, it's okay. Don't do this; stop shaking. Shhh... It's okay."

But she couldn't stop. A battle was coursing through her mind, capturing her thoughts and slaughtering every ounce of hope that she had left. She helplessly watched as her pride and any scrap of happiness that she had managed to obtain were crucified with nails made from every wrong deed that she had ever done. The demons of her covert insecurity toyed with her emotions and reveled in her pain.

_He only wants to get to her. He doesn't love you, never has. He wants the real Raven, not you! No one wants a devious, pathetic blue mutant._

"No!"

"Mystique, what...?"

Violently, the shape-shifter lurched away from John and got to her feet. Her piercing yellow eyes now misted over with a type of fury that John had never seen before.

"I know what you want," she whispered. "But I cannot give it to you."

A bewildered stare appeared on John's face. "What are you talking about? Why can't I have you?" But that only seemed to infuriate her.

"You don't want me, you bastard! You want _Raven_, your little precious equal! You've never wanted me!"

"Mys-"

"Don't 'Mystique' me. You don't know who I am! You are _worthless_ to me."

A thick silence now coated the room. The last words spoken now dripped from the stained walls and fell into steaming puddles on the old carpet, sizzling with the animosity expressed and felt. Pyro felt his blood boil past the point of rage.

"I've sacrificed for you!" He shouted. "I've nearly _died_ trying to be with you and you have the _nerve_ to tell me that I'm _worthless_ and that I don't know who you are? _Bullshit,_ Mystique. Fucking _bullshit_! How can you stand there in front of me, after all we've been through, and tell me that you don't love me? Of course I'm curious about Raven; she went to my school. Hell, when I met her, I was an immature, hotheaded asshole who only liked her for her body. Yeah, I admit it! I was only in it for the ass. But you know what? I've changed, damn it. I don't love Raven, I never have, but I _love_ you. If that's not enough for you... if my heart, beating on the floor in front of you, isn't enough for you... then I don't know what you want from me."

The two mutants stood face to face, both chests heaving with anger, both sets of eyes inhabited by an angry blaze. Pyro was to the point of tears; he didn't know what to do anymore. He could feel his eyes stinging but he never took his eyes off the woman before him. If he looked away, she would be gone. Like a dream, she would disappear. Like a character in a book, she would seep into the pages, never to be brought to life, but to remain in a fictitious world where he could never reach her. And John would remain alone... like he always has been.

"I don't know what you want from me," he whispered.

The yellow eyes lost their angry mist and now were splashed with sorrow. He had just told her that he didn't love Raven; did she believe him? Of course she did. She had no reason not to. He had no reason to lie.

Quietly, Mystique stepped forward until her lips were inches away from John's. She leaned her head toward his and let her hands grasp his sides. Sighing, she breathed in the last traces of his anger and felt her own fury dissipate.

"If you want to see her, I can bring you to her."

Allerdyce's attention had been nabbed. "She's alive?"

Mystique nodded. "Yes, but just barely. I don't want you to be angry with me; it wasn't my decision. When you see her..."

Her words barely made their way out of the mutant's mouth. What was so hard for her to say? John reached his hand up to her face and stroked her cheek. Unconsciously, as if some outside force compelled him, he placed his lips softly on hers and kissed her. It was passionate yet tender. Mystique found herself unable to stop what she truly wanted; she allowed the kiss to continue, tilting her head and placing her hands on his chest. That outburst had come from nowhere, she realized. Maybe it was jealousy, but whatever the case, Mystique did not want it to come back.

She broke the kiss after a few long moments. "Come with me," she said. "But I'll warn you now, it's not something I'm proud of."

The two mutants left the apartment and stepped out into the cold night air. Mystique beckoned John to a nearby car and the two drove off to the same dock that John and Bobby had sailed from to the Brotherhood hideout seemingly so long ago. When they arrived, three speedboats and two jet skis floated motionless in their designated areas. John wanted to ask to whom they belonged, but as soon as Mystique hopped into the closest boat and hotwired it, he was certain that they did not belong to her.

_After all, _he thought,_ where would she keep the key?_

_____________

"What's your status, Toad?"

"Everythin's fine 'ere, Mags. She's on 'er way with Pyro now."

"Excellent," the voice crackled, "make sure they get here unscathed."

"Yeah," Toad said, holding the radio firmly. "See ya soon."

______________

"It's this way," the blue mutant gestured to John as they leapt onto the island's rocky shore. Cautiously, the fire manipulator looked around and took his lighter from his pocket.

"Where are we going?"

"We can't be seen here. There's no telling what Magneto might do to me if he saw you here... if he saw _me_ here." John was about to inquire as to why she was in danger, but Mystique ducked into a hidden door and he was forced to choke down his question.

He entered darkness. A scaled hand grabbed his and directed him through endless hallways of blackness and chilling cement walls. Finally, his guide stopped at a steel door and heaved the lock up. Silently, she yanked him inside.

John stood in awe as he gazed around him. Numerous glass tanks stood upright against each wall, some filled with a clear liquid like water. Toward the middle of the room, an identical glass container had been laid on the floor, parallel to where John was standing. Slowly he stepped toward the container; a swirl of red could be seen toward the far end of the tank, shrunken white figures lay uselessly about a pale body. And at that moment, John realized what he was staring at- Raven's body.

She was in a glass tank filled with water, its entirety disturbed by deliberate bubbles created by a nearby machine. Clear tubes, John noticed, emerged from Raven's nose. Her ruby hair floated about her pale shoulders and framed her still face. John could not believe what he was seeing.

"What have you done to her?" He croaked.

Mystique came to his side and put her hand on his shoulder. "I told you it was awful. Just know that I feel terrible for what we've done to her."

"But what _have _you done?"

"Phoenix demanded that we use Firecat, here, to enhance Phoenix's powers. As long as Firecat is in this tank, Phoenix's telekinetic ability, as well as her pyrokinetic skills, are greatly amplified."

John reached for a plug on the large machine next to the tank. "Then let's get her out of here."

"No!" Mystique grabbed his hand just in time and roughly threw him aside.

"What the hell was that for?" Pyro demanded. But Mystique remained composed.

"Don't do that unless you want her to die. She's been in there too long to be released."

John let his eyes study the shape-shifter's face for a moment until they fell to Raven's naked body. He stared at her face and tried to remember if that was what she looked like when he had last seen her, if he had seen her at all. Yes, that was a question that had yet to be truthfully answered. John placed a hand on the tank and felt a chill run through his spine.

Raven's eyes were open.


	13. Plan of Attack

A/N: Grrr... you all know that I'm sorry. And I'll say it again... I'm sorry. This chapter is really freaking long though. I hope you like it! And... I'M SORRY!

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"She's alive! We need to do something!" John stared through the glass at Raven's pale face, but Mystique held him back from taking any further action.

"Of _course_ she's alive," the blue mutant replied. "I told you that her powers are being manipulated to strengthen Phoenix. If Magneto were to find you here..."

John turned toward Mystique. "What do you mean? What could he _possibly_ do to me that could be worse than anything that's happened already?"

Mystique gaped and fell to the floor beside him. "He could _kill you!_ Pyro, he could summon Dark Phoenix and have this whole dilemma escalated in moments! Right now, Magneto is the last person you want to be pissing off."

"That's absolutely right, Mystique. I couldn't have said it better myself." The two mutants spun around to face Magneto, standing at the entrance to the laboratory with Toad at his side.

"So glad that you could join me, Pyro. And thanks to Mystique for bringing you here."

"No, Erik! Don't hurt him. Just let him go!" Magneto gave his former companion a momentarily regretful smile. He raised his hand in the air to reveal a metal-encased syringe and replaced his smile with a stern, thin-lipped expression.

"You know as much as I do that his life belongs to Phoenix. Without her need for him, he would already be dead! So, young lad, I suggest that you come quietly so that I may not resort to alternative means of persuasion." He played with the syringe in his hand and Pyro watched as it fluidly laced through the mutant's fingers, the metal glistening under what menial light the lab offered. John couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I don't belong to her!" He yelled. "I'm going to kill her and no one can stop me!"

Suddenly Magneto let out a booming laugh. "My dear boy," he said between ironic chuckles, "Phoenix has owned you since the moment she laid eyes on you. From the moment she invaded your mind for the first time and read your thoughts, you were enslaved. She is the only one who knows your true purpose in life."

"Oh really?" John spat. "And what exactly is my purpose? What fucking great deed am I supposed to fulfill, huh? Answer me that, Magneto!"

But through John's rage, a grin emerged on his adversary's face. "You are meant to supply Phoenix with the power that she desires. Do you think that this pathetic girl here has the potential that you possess? We captured her merely because we could not obtain you. This... Firecat... is weak. Her power is far less than that of yours. And when you finally succumb to the will of Phoenix, you will understand your true capabilities, what you were meant for... to rule with the most omnipotent creature to ever exist!"

John considered for a moment. "Firecat is pyrokinetic. For that small reason, she is more powerful than I!"

"Tut, tut, tut," Magneto said, shaking his head. "You will never understand. Oh dear, we can't keep blathering on like this. Now if you don't mind, we have business matters to attend to that involve a certain entity to be present. Should we call her?"

Pyro considered his options. He couldn't use his mutation; Magneto would whip away his lighter before John had a chance to catch a flame. He couldn't run; Toad would surely pin him in a matter of seconds.

John sighed, "It doesn't have to be this way," he said calmly. "This can't end right now."

"Oh but it can," growled Magneto. Pyro could sense that the older mutant was losing any scrap of patience that he had. "You don't..."

Suddenly, Mystique fell to the ground. Her body curled like a dying rose petal and she grasped her head in anguish.

"Mystique!" John was on the floor again in seconds. But before he could even touch her, Mystique was back on her feet, faster than anyone could breathe. She turned her gaze on Pyro and reached out a hand to touch his face.

"We meet again, Pyro. Tell me, what do you think of your little girlfriend now? Of course you've seen her in her glass tomb, her energy being sucked out of her dying body to sustain my growing power."

"You fucking bitch..."

"Oh, such a temper," she purred. "We must correct that immediately."

A cry of pain escaped John's lips as Mystique's arm grabbed Pyro's and spun it behind his back painfully. She pushed up his arm and relished in his moans.

"Don't try to ignore the pain, Pyro, because you know it hurts. _Give in_. Don't try to be stronger than you are. _Beg me to stop_."

But Pyro gritted his teeth and endured her torture. He knew this wasn't Mystique and he felt deep inside of him that it might have never been. All he wanted was to die; he wanted the sick carousel to stop and let him escape from the unbearable agony that he had been through ever since the Brotherhood came into his life. He didn't know what he did to deserve anything that happened to him, but he knew that he was going to get it to stop, no matter what he had to do. If Phoenix wanted him, and that meant that the pain would end, Phoenix would have him. Every answer that John had wanted to find still laid in hiding, watching him and reveling in his sorrow. No one was there to help him... like always. But yet again, he was wrong.

_BANG!_

Like a crack of thunder, the metal door behind Magneto and Toad fell to the ground, its impact echoing around them all. John's eyes whisked to the action and they caught the relieving sight of the X-Men.

Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Iceman, Rogue, and Shadowcat appeared like angels into the chaotic lab. John felt the grip on his arm loosen just enough for him to get away from Phoenix. He scrambled across the floor, as far away from the entity as possible. In a split second and a wisp of blue smoke, Nightcrawler was next to him. The next thing John knew, he was out of the laboratory, into the hallway, on the beach, and on a speedboat from the Xavier Institute.

"No!" Pyro cried. "Kurt, I need to fight Phoenix. I need to get rid of her once and for all! We can't leave everyone in there with her, they'll die!"

But Kurt wasn't hearing it. "It iz much too dangerous for you to be here, Pyro. You cannot imagine how much trickery Phoenix has played on you already. Ve are going to see ze Professor so he can tell you vhat has been happ'ning."

Powerless, John was forced to comply. And as the Brotherhood Island disappeared from sight, he hoped that his friends were all alive when he returned.

Bobby and Kitty circled Toad as the green mutant stared at them with hungry eyes. Knees bent, Toad could, at any time, pounce on one of the teenagers and kill them on the spot. But the two X-Men had a plan. Kitty stepped toward Toad and threatened his comfort space; Bobby eyed the two carefully, mostly watching for any muscle movement from the amphibian.

It came.

Toad leapt toward Shadowcat, but sent his tongue sailing toward Iceman. No matter, Bobby sent a stream of ice toward the attacker just as Kitty became intangible. Toad's tongue was frozen solid.

Iceman stepped toward the green mutant with the intention of freezing the rest of him, but Toad was much more than his tongue. With lightning-fast movements, Toad spun around and kicked Iceman hard in the chest. Shadowcat tried to attack Toad, but he caught her off guard and sent her into the farthest wall. Disappearing for a moment, Kitty composed herself and stepped out of the wall and back into the fight.

Phoenix knew that she couldn't flee the battle because she would leave Mystique behind, a possible ally for the X-Men. As usual, Phoenix watched the fray before her until a petite redhead silently challenged her.

"Are you sure this is wise, mortal?"

As she spoke, the laboratory ceiling came crashing down. Cyclops had blasted a hole through the rocks that created one of the underground room's barriers in order for Storm to truly utilize her awesome power. Shadowcat grabbed as many of the X-Men as she could and fazed through the falling debris. The matter simply fell around Jean, leaving her untouched by the steadily falling rock. Scott blasted what he could so no one would be hurt, and Wolverine merely dodged everything that came his way.

Storm rose into the sky, which instantly turned a menacing gray, swirled with rings of black. Thunder cracked deafeningly above the battle and lightning illuminated the darkening sky. Magneto fought his best, fending off close-range attackers. Gambit sent exploding objects toward the metal manipulator while Cyclops took every opportunity to shoot the older mutant. Bobby and Kitty began to understand how difficult it was to beat Toad by themselves, as they took more harsh beatings.

"Logan!" Shadowcat cried. "Help us!"

Wolverine turned from Magneto and darted toward the two teenagers. Just as the amphibian leapt into the air, Wolverine met him with claws unsheathed. Toad immediately tried to change directions, but they were falling too fast. Logan plunged his adamantium claws into Toad and twisted. The green mutant screamed and launched a fierce kick to Wolverine's body. However, Toad forgot all about the teenagers and Bobby was finally able to freeze Toad into a giant block of ice.

Lifting himself from the ground, Wolverine ran back to the fight with Magneto.

"No, Logan! What are you doing? You're made out of metal!"

"Don't you think I know that, Kitty? But if he's busy with me, someone else will finish him off!"

"But then if Storm shocks him, you'll get the worst of it!"

Logan stopped for a moment and realized what the girl said was right. There had to be a way that he could fight Magneto without being controlled or barbequed... If only Kurt were there!

"Hey," Bobby said quickly, "Why don't you grab onto Kitty? She can sneak you up behind Magneto and you can skewer him!"

The trio decided that that was their best bet. After the skewering, Storm could unleash a lightning bolt to electrify Magneto into unconsciousness. Then only Phoenix would be left. But who was powerful enough to defeat Dark Phoenix?

Kitty touched Wolverine's shoulder and they both made their way behind Magneto. Cyclops and Gambit noticed what they were doing and tried to keep the mutants attention even harder. Without Logan being physically present, Magneto was unable to sense his enemy until the last moment, when Wolverine unsheathed his claws and drove them into Magneto's spine. Quickly, he pulled them out, only to have Storm release a forceful lightning bolt into the room, directed exactly for Magneto. The older mutant's body brightened with electrifying light for a moment until he crumpled and fell to the floor, his blood spilling about him in a thick, red circle, his eyes wide with surprise.

Jean and Phoenix had been staring at each other for a good five minutes. Of course, Cyclops didn't want Jean to face such a creature, but he knew that if he objected, he would break Jean's concentration and all might be lost. All everyone could do was stay quiet.

Shadowcat looked around the room. "Hey," she whispered to Bobby, "have you seen Rogue at all?"

Iceman narrowed his eyebrows. "No, now that you mention it, I haven't. I wonder where she went..."

"Make your move, human," Phoenix boomed. "You cannot defeat me." But Jean stared at the entity with fire in her eyes. Without a word, the duel had begun. Jean shut her eyes and focused all of her energy toward her adversary. She knew that she could not win. But if she could weaken Phoenix just a little...

Twenty minutes ticked by. Thirty. Forty. Neither of the telepaths were bending, but Cyclops noticed a bead of sweat beginning to form on his fianc's brow. He knew that Jean wouldn't be able to hold up for very much longer. What did she think she was doing? This wasn't going to accomplish anything except incapacitate the X-Men's only available telepath. Cyclops knew that Jean just wanted to weaken Phoenix so that she would be a trifle easier to defeat. But at what expense?

"Oh, no," Jean breathed.

She was beginning to lose control of her power. She could feel Dark Phoenix breaking down her mental barrier with inhuman force. Suddenly, Jean couldn't take it anymore; she grasped her head in useless defense as her mind was attacked by horrific images and god-like force. Scott ran to her side and tried to drag her away, but Jean had created a force field around her body, knowing that he would try to stop her. Jean was on the edge; she could barely keep Phoenix at bay.

With her last bit of strength, she cried, "Now, Rogue!"

From the darkness, each X-Men saw Rogue up toward the ceiling on a water pipe. She swung backward, her legs suspending her in the air on the thick metal pipe. Rogue stretched out her arm and latched on to Phoenix with no intention of letting go.

It all happened in one fluid motion.

At last, Jean was able to release herself from the force field and from using her powers. She fell to the ground, Scott kneeling beside her, checking to see if she was going to be all right.

Across from the X-Men, Rogue screamed in agony. A searing pain split through her head and her mind alike. Phoenix's power drained itself into the teenager's body, too thick and too righteous to be extracted so crudely. But Rogue held on, clenching the entity's head tightly in her grasp. Kitty began to scream and Bobby tried to console her. The adults didn't know what to do; Wolverine stepped closer, but for the first time, he didn't know what action to take. He only prayed that Marie knew when to let go.

A bright white light emanated from Phoenix's body, the edges burnt orange and red like fire until it encompassed the creature's entire body. Then, in a burst of color and sound, Dark Phoenix disappeared and Rogue fell to the floor of shattered glass and rock.


	14. Sacrifice

Author's Note: Uhhh... what do I say? I haven't updated this story in 2 years! Ohhhh... geez. I'm surprised people still want to read it. Well, here is the next installment. Kudos go to BluePhoenix 217 who last reviewed. I actually started writing this chapter immediately after I read her/his review. So, thanks, BluePhoenix 217. I dedicate this chapter to you! And hopefully now that it's summer vacation (I'm graduating from high school tomorrow, actually. Woohoo!) I'll be able to write more and finish everything up. Thank you to everyone who has read this and to everyone who takes the time to review. It really means a lot to me, and I'm sorry for disrespecting you by not posting for such a long time. I hope you enjoy.

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"Rogue!"

Bobby and Wolverine flung themselves over the masses of debris toward their fallen comrade, and Kitty charged through slabs of concrete until she reached Rogue's breathless form. With a tender urgency, Bobby rotated his girlfriend's body until he could gaze upon her battle-blemished face; scared witless, his chest became numb from the constant nagging throb of his anxious heartbeat.

"Iceman, out of the way," Logan demanded. Hastily, the older mutant threw his gloves down and grabbed for Rogue's hands, but before he could touch her, she was no longer on the ground, but standing before him— feet firmly planted, eyes wide as if she had never grasped a goddess, harnessed her power, and fallen to a solid concrete floor.

"Shit!" Wolverine cried as his body involuntarily lurched backward.

Kitty and Bobby started as well, their minds unable to contrive a feasible answer to the marvel that occurred before their very eyes. Rogue's horribly slashed face and bruises faded in a matter of seconds; her soft, doe-like eyes flashed a fleeting brilliant orange before reverting to their usual amicable gaze. The collection of mutants littering the destroyed laboratory stared at her in a coalescence of astonished resignation and irrepressible horror. Was this their Rogue?

"Rogue?" Bobby posed his question carefully.

The southern belle ignored him and peered around the room with eerily fluid optical movements. Like an infant absorbing the world for the first time, Rogue's eyes consumed the entire layout of the lab before they settled on those of Jean Grey.

"Are you okay?" The injured professor inquired as her student remained silent. But her answer came soundlessly. Jean inhaled sharply, yet the teenager smiled.

"_I'm telepathic_," she breathed. Then raising a rock from the floor: _"And telekinetic."_

The X-Men breathed a collective sigh of relief. Phoenix was gone—for the moment.

"How do you feel, honey?" Kitty asked concernedly. Bobby stood close by, ready to aid Rogue if she had even the slightest headache.

"Ah'm okay now," she replied. "At least… I think I am… How long do you think this will last?"

"Probably for a while, honey," Jean interjected as Scott lifted her off the ground. "You absorbed a lot of Phoenix's power,but you should be fine." They all could see the dominating fatigue that captured the telepath's form. "We'll get you to the professor, and he'll make sure. Right now the most important thing to do is to get back to the mansion and tell Pyro that he has a little more time to prepare."

"Prepare?" Wolverine snorted. "The damn kid doesn't know what the hell he's going to do! This fight is going to go on forever until Rogue becomes the new Dark Phoenix from absorbing too much power. Is that what you want, Jean?"

"Of course not, Logan, but John needs to do this. Xavier has explicitly told us that this war will go on until he himself figures out his course of action. Obviously, he is the only one who can end this."

"Fucking great," Wolverine sighed. "Omnipotent force against teenage mutant hothead. This _is_ going to go on forever."

"Hopefully not," the telepath declared meekly.

The X-Men shared a silent, reflective moment, observing the mangledbody of Magneto, contorted in death upon the floor. No longer would his war against humanity continue. No longer would he spill the blood of the innocent.

Bobby reached out his hand to thicken the block of ice that contained Toad.

"What do we do now?" The teenager asked, peering through the blue haze of frozen water to look at Toad's repulsing green skin."I mean... what is _Pyro_ going to do?"

Scott and Storm shook their heads, and Jean bit her lip in an attempt to pry an answer from it.

"We have to go back to the mansion," she sighed, a mixture of exhaustion and pain lacing her words. "The Professor will know."

"But... but what about Firecat?" Kitty's voice trembled. She hated Raven for what she had done in the past, but her soul could not ignore the horrible condition that Raven was in.

The mutants all raked their eyes across the glass case that imprisoned the teenage girl, a heart-wrenching melancholy thickening the air. No one deserved that.

Wolverine patted Kitty on the shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. We'll figure something out."

---

"I could have done something! I could have _helped_!"

"John, please calm yourself."

"No! You're always telling me to stay calm, but what the _fuck_ am I supposed to do-- meditate? Sit on my ass while people die?"

"Watch your language, young man."

Fuming with unadulterated wrath, Pyro stood before Xavier, hands clenched at his sides. The old man was infuriating him.

"Dark Phoenix has been toying with your mind, John. She stole Raven when Mystique took her place. She's been feeding her power with Firecat's, and now she wants to add you to her collection. She won't stop until she gets you; don't you understand that? When she's powerful enough, she'll enslave the human race. Just for fun, John! We need to work together on this. I know you're angry..."

"Understatement of the century," Pyro huffed.

Xavier went on, "...but Phoenix must be stopped. There are a few ways we can go about this. One, I'm afraid, you will not agree to."

Pyro turned his head to look Xavier straight in the eyes. "What is that?" He inquired darkly.

The telepath sighed outwardly. "One option is to release Firecat from her prison and thereby weaken Phoenix..."

"No! We're not killing Raven. We're _not_."

"No, I didn't think you would want to do it that way..." Professor X massaged his temples in thought.

"We can't kill Phoenix anyway!" The teenager argued vehemently. "How do you kill a god?"

"We can't _kill her_, John. But we _can_ cripple her so that she doesn't come back for at least a millennia. If she is sufficiently weakened, she won't have the power to come back to Earth for some time afterward. The problem is devising an efficient plan..."

John plopped himself down in a chair and racked his brain. He thought of everything that had happened to him in the past year... Mystique, Toad, Phoenix, Magneto, Gambit, the "insane asylum", the testing, the apartment... _Sage._

_Sage._

What had she said?

_"And now you understand."_

What had they been talking about? What did he understand?

It felt so long ago that he had cried in her delicate arms, her magnetic blue eyes flashing at him with infinite wisdom and compassion.

What had he understood, there, in her arms?

_In her arms..._

_In her arms..._

"Telepaths," he breathed. Xavier looked up at him.

_Blue eyes._

_"You will become a part of her."_

"Oh, my god," he whispered. "I know how to do it. I know how to defeat her."

Professor Xavier stared at his pupil intently, awaiting the answer he already knew that John would conceive. His fear tied apprehensive knots in his stomach. He had known all along what conclusion John needed to draw... but by himself. Xavier would never suggest such a dangerous option. An invisible hand clenched its bony fingers about Xavier's heart and ripped it from its ventricles. Now that John saw this option, he would not turn back. He would follow through.

"I'll join her," he said emphatically. "I'm going to become her."


	15. Ghosts

*A/N: Wooo... three years gone again. And here I am almost through with college. I hope everyone still enjoys this story. It has no more than two updates left before the finale. It has been such a great ride working on this story for so many years. I am very proud of it and can't wait to deliver an awesome final fight after THREE installments! Happy reading. :)

______

Mystique awoke to the chill of familiar metal flooring. A sharp, reverberating ring shot back and forth in her head, bouncing from ear to ear as if someone had cracked her skull with a giant tuning fork. Her fingers shook as if detached from any form of unity, seeming to desperately flee from her body to wriggle across empty space in search of an unknown solace. She was numb and aching at the same time—exhausted yet fueled with adrenaline. She watched her fingers shiver through crossed eyes before her sight returned to normal. Like all minds seem to do, Mystique's frantically searched for its most recent memories. She did not like what she saw.

"John," she croaked. She grasped her throat in needless embarrassment upon hearing her own voice. She remembered Phoenix possessing her. Flickers of an immense battle popped before her eyes. Eyes clenched tightly, Mystique sucked in a sharp breath of air through her nose. Getting to her feet was an ordeal. One leg buckled beneath her. Her toes curled downward as all of her muscles suddenly cramped. Her ankles betrayed her. Her palms seemed slick with oil. She attempted to curse her nightmare of a predicament, but her tongue fell limply in her mouth.

"_What is wrong with me?"_

And then she heard a soft moan across the room. She snapped her head in the sound's direction, but she could not see a body. The voice was female, but Mystique saw no one.

"Who's there?" She asked, surprised by the clarity of her previously ragged voice. It was then that the mutant looked down at her hands. Her left was normal—long, blue fingers extending to short manicured nails. Then she cast her gaze on her right hand.

She had no control over its movements. Her fingers morphed into different forms, taking beastly shapes, delicate shapes, and all in between. Some fingers were pulled into her palm while others swayed side to side at different tempos. Mystique couldn't tear her gaze from the monstrosity. It seemed to have a mind of its own. Mystique thought to also inspect her legs. Trying to swing them out from under her, she found she could only control her left leg and foot, while her right side remained totally independent.

"Who is playing games with me?" The blue mutant demanded. Her eyes were as large as saucers, staring helplessly at her contorted limbs. "Show yourself!"

A low chuckle sounded to her right, but still she could see no source. Mystique hurriedly attempted to stand, but half of her body refused to cooperate. She felt as though she were encased in ice. Her mind raced for ideas. Oddly, she had never before had so much clarity. In a matter of moments she thought of a solution and slowly scooted herself against the nearest wall. Pulling her useable leg beneath her and pushing her back against the wall, she was finally able to stand.

'_Oh, bravo,'_ the voice taunted. Mystique finally accepted the only possibility of the source of the voice.

"Phoenix," she said. "You're still inside of me." But Mystique's new analytical mind provided more answers.

"You must be very weak," the blue mutant discerned. "I have full control over half of my body."

'_Inconvenient at the very most, mortal,'_ Phoenix spat. _'Until I regain my strength, you are my willing vessel!'_

Mystique scoffed. "Try me, bitch."

She watched the right hand struggle against gravity to lift itself from her side in an attempt at retaliation. After a few moments Phoenix gave up.

"You're struggling just to stay on this planet, aren't you?" Mystique breathed. She knew now would be the perfect time for John to confront the entity. Reaching John to tell him was a whole other matter. Phoenix would try to stop her at all costs. But then… would she spend enough energy to lose her grasp in this dimension? Was it reasonable to believe that no more blood would have to spill for Phoenix to finally fall?

'_I am still more powerful than any mutant on this pathetic planet!' _Phoenix screamed within the walls of Mystique's mind. _'You will do as I say, or your precious Pyro will meet his end the next time I so much as lay eyes on him!'_

"What happens if I kill myself with you clinging to my physical presence?" Mystique asked, a haunting undertone embellishing her query. "I'll bet you go back to Hell."

'_I will find another host.'_

"You wouldn't make it back to the mainland alone. I know where we are. You can't fool me. There are limitless ways to kill myself on this godforsaken island."

'_You forget the girl downstairs, do you? Did you think for a moment that I would leave myself without an exit? Kill her, and your little lover will never look into your eyes without hatred again.'_

"If I kill her," Mystique said, "it is in preparation to throw myself off of this fucking compound and get rid of you. I won't have any worries after that, will I?"

Phoenix was silent after that, but Mystique still recognized that suicide was her very last option. There had to be some other way to expel Phoenix without compromising her own life...

Mystique finally realized why she had been thinking so clearly this whole time. As evidenced by her crippled leg, arm, and hand, Phoenix could only possess the right side of her body, leaving the left to Mystique. This was also the reason the dark entity couldn't think of any intelligent bribes or trickery to manipulate Mystique—the mutant had complete control over the left hemisphere of her brain.

So why couldn't she think of any solution to this predicament that didn't involve her death?

______

"Professor, please tell me where I can find Phoenix."

Xavier looked sadly into his pupil's dark brown eyes. "I will check Cerebro," he said.

Pyro could hardly contain his excitement. It wasn't the thrill that comes with joy but the excitement, rather, induced by the adrenaline pumped into one's veins in times of imperative survival.

"John, please go rest for now. I will call you back when I learn of Phoenix's whereabouts. The others should be arriving soon as well. It will be good for you to catch your breath for the night."

Pyro meant to argue, but something in his mentor's eyes halted his tongue. He had to be prepared for this final battle. It was all getting down to the wire now. So much rested on his course of action… It all made his head spin. Xavier was right—he needed to calm down.

As John disappeared behind closed doors, Professor Xavier bowed his head. John was on his mind. How had such an irresponsible, impulsive teenager grown into a self-sacrificing man within a year's time? Could he be happy that his pupil had chosen the most difficult method of defeating the Phoenix? But then again, it seemed to be the only method. With his and Jean's telepathy, they could just barely stall the Phoenix long enough for John to…

It was too painful for him to think about. John was young, inexperienced. The Phoenix was an omnipotent force. It had merely a modicum of human life, yet existed indefinitely. The odds of defeating her were gruesomely thin.

Xavier chose not to dwell on it further. He directed his wheelchair toward the elevator that would take him to Cerebro.

John walked to his old room in the manor after leaving Professor X's office. Did the old man still feel his presence within the mansion's walls, or were there other things on his mind?

His old bedroom had unsurprisingly been filled by another occupant since his departure. There were pictures on his nightstand. John smirked at the burn marks in the wood. This was the room he had grown up in, retreated to when he needed solace from the droll of classes. The mirror had been replaced. His hand burned as he ran his fingers over the scars he would probably wear forever.

How far he had come since his fight with Bobby, the testing facility—since Mystique. He had sought her love for so long. Did he have it? Could she ever break her bond to the Brotherhood and join him somewhere far from the academy, far from New York even? Maybe to somewhere no one's heard of—someplace immune to belligerent mutant attack… someplace where the snow wasn't so cold.

Being back in the mansion after all this time was strange. John saw ghosts on his way down the hallways—crowds of kids on their way to class, Beast with his nose in a medical journal. There was where Rogue and Kitty fought Firecat all that time ago... And there… there was Firecat's room where he had made love to a mystery woman.

So many ghosts…

"I thought you'd be in here."

The voice of his other half drew him from his haunting thoughts.

"It's weird being here, isn't it?" Bobby touched the brass doorknob thoughtfully and smirked at his old bed across the room. "The memories are suffocating."

His words were nearly true. You could almost see the flashes of people and actions against the white walls—an amalgam of emotions and faces burning in the reddish-white light only produced by tightly squeezing your eyes shut.

He caught a glimpse of Bobby's ghost standing in the doorway demanding that John take him along in his pursuit of Mystique.

"Are you all back now?" John asked, shaking himself from his memories.

"Yeah, Professor X is debriefing them."

"So, everyone's okay?

"Hey, 'Dyce, don't sweat it. Well, I mean, Rogue is like the most powerful person in the building right now, but other than that, things are normal."

"Did you see Firecat?"

Bobby paused, remembering the shriveled beauty in the glass case, eyes open and blank, lacking the energy to express their dire need for help.

"We saw her," he said carefully. "But… we weren't able to take her out…"

"It's okay. I know."

A silent minute fluttered by.

"'Dyce, why do you… I mean… why do you care about her? Aren't you in love with… you know…?"

John sighed, turning from the doorway to look out the window above his old bed. He didn't feel like talking about it. No, it wasn't that. It was… he didn't have an answer. He didn't know why he cared about Raven so much.

"I just want all of this to be over," he finally said, knowing full well his reply answered nothing.

"I hear you," said Bobby. "On the brighter side, Magneto is dead."

"What?"

"Yeah! Storm totally fried him… right after Logan ripped out his spine."

"Cool." Bobby saw a shade of a smile on his friend's face.

"Hey, whoever lives here now probably won't thank you for breaking the lock off their door to get in here, so what do you say we scram?" John smirked as if he hadn't thought of what he would do if the kid who actually lived here came back and confronted him.

"Yeah, sure," he said. "Let's go see what the others are up to."

The two teenagers headed toward the main staircase toward the foyer. Before rounding the final corner, however, John froze solid. A familiar voice floated on the air toward his ears. A rush of memories washed over him until the voice became a face.

"Oh, John. Um… hello."

Jubilee stood before him. He hadn't seen her in months—spoken to her in more— but she was there now, just as he always remembered her.

"Jubes." Without thinking or even giving Jubilee a moment to think, John pulled her in for a hug. He had reacted so quickly that he didn't notice Jubilee's male friend who had been walking with her. Lucky for that guy, Bobby kept him busy while John and Jubilee embraced.

She pulled away with a blush on her cheeks.

"It's good to see you, too, John. Bobby. I heard everyone come back from the latest mission. No casualties either! But I heard Rogue tried to shove Wolverine just a little and ended up pushing him through a wall…"

It was as if John didn't hear a word. "I've missed you so much, Jubes," he blurted out. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever put you through."

At this point, Jubilee's "friend" scowled and tried to push past Bobby to get to John. Bobby tapped him on the shoulder.

"My friend, you should sit this one out for a bit, okay?"

"Why? Who is this guy? All I know is he's out of line with my girlfriend!"

"You must be new here," Bobby realized, shaking his head. "This is John, also known as Pyro. His mutation is setting people on fire. May I ask what yours is?"

The new guy mumbled something indistinct and backed up a few feet.

"_That's what I thought_," Bobby chuckled.

"Jubilee," John continued, taking her hands in his. "There's something I have to do, and I don't know if I'll make it out alive. Just know that… I've only ever wanted your happiness, and I'm sorry that I hurt you."

Jubilee's eyes filled with tears as she stared at her former boyfriend in silence. She had always been a tough girl, but now her eyelids were heavy with tears. Her sadness ran down her flushed cheeks, and she pulled John into a tight embrace.

"I know," she said, uttering the only words that she could muster while pressed to John's chest. "I know."


	16. The End

*A/N: Hello, everyone! Well, I've not updated in over two years now. I'm sorry that this story has been in existence for over 8 years and has not been finished. As I got older, I'll admit, writing X-Men fan fiction just wasn't a priority anymore. However, I never like to leave things unfinished, especially when I receive such great feedback and know that there are people out there who really want to know how the story ends.

There is no way that I can make the ending to this 8 year journey worth the wait. 8 years is a really long time. I'm a fan of cliffhangers, but this one seems to have gone on longer than necessary. I hope you can all forgive me for my hiatuses. In the past two years, I've graduated college and moved to Japan. I just turned 23, and I'm writing two novels, a RPG, and a graphic novel. Maybe one day you'll see my books on the shelves and think, "I used to read her sappy fan fiction." ^_^v

Anyway, I can only hope that my writing has been improving since I began this trilogy when I was 14/15 years old. Please do what you do best: read for enjoyment and review with a critical eye! Here it is. :)

-/-/-/-/-/-

John rocked on the balls of his feet as if to lull his nerves into dissipating, or at the very least, grind them underfoot. He'd come up with a plan to weaken Phoenix and finally have her abandon Earth, for a time anyway. He had never considered himself a brilliant tactician, much less a hero. He wasn't even sure his plan would work.

_"No, it has to."_ It was the only way he could think of.

He got dressed slowly that morning, ate breakfast alone in the kitchen before anyone had awoken. He was careful not to use too much milk in his cereal, come to find later that he hadn't used enough. He begrudgingly poured the last of the carton into his bowl. There was no discernible reason for the guilt he felt as he threw the empty carton away. He washed his bowl and spoon, towel dried them, and returned them to their proper places in the cupboard. He paused before leaving the kitchen, however, and walked back to the cabinet that housed the bowls. He took his bowl from the top and gingerly raised the stack so that he could place it on the bottom. He did the same thing with the spoon he had used. Finally closing the silverware drawer, he felt a small flicker of relief that no one would use his dishes for a while. He couldn't stomach the thought of someone eating from the spoon he had used right before he died.

-/-

Aside from a few tugs on her muscles, Mystique felt no resistance from Phoenix as she made her way to the Xavier mansion. It worried her. Of course Phoenix wanted her to be near John. It was saving its power to possess him, hibernating inside of Mystique, sapping her energy to refuel itself. But Phoenix didn't want to possess him the way it had Mystique; nothing temporary would satisfy it. It wanted to overtake him completely, snuff out his personality, his memories, everything. The things she had seen happen to that poor Raven girl before Phoenix decided she lacked the necessary power and shoved her in that glass tube… She couldn't allow it. Phoenix was trapped inside her. Now was the time to end it.

-/-

John exited the mansion for the last time. He didn't look back, only forward as he made his way into the courtyard. A calm washed over him as he thought about his plan. If Phoenix wanted his power, he would give it to her. The part he couldn't predict, however, was if he would live through it. Sage seemed to think so.

Sage. It seemed like forever ago when they spoke. He wished he could see her now. To lounge in the embrace of her voice, to feel no fear in the cradle of her praise… Wishful thinking. She wouldn't pull him back to that luxurious haven when his task was not yet complete. He cast his sight to the horizon where the sun was just now climbing over the tops of the trees. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply.

"John." He flinched when he heard his name. Rogue had appeared next to him in a deadly silence.

"Rogue." He nodded at her.

"I can feel it coming—Phoenix. It's weak, but I feel it. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It's not up to me. This is how it has to happen," he said. "Phoenix chose me, so I'm the one who needs to kill her."

Rogue shook her head. "I still don't understand why everyone is putting this on your shoulders. Is there something we're not being told? I know Phoenix is… un-killable, but does Professor X really not have a plan? Why is he sacrificing you? And WHAT exactly are you supposed to do?"

"She's already inside me," he said quietly. Rogue's eyes jumped to his face for answers.

"What do you mean?"

"It didn't make sense to me before. With you standing here, it's like I can think clearly; you're radiating the Phoenix's power."

"Ah'm what?" John smiled at her.

"It's the reason I could never figure out if it was Mystique or Phoenix that night with Raven." He shifted his stance and slouched. He felt that standing up straight was too proud for how much like scum he felt. "It was both of them. Mystique and I were just caught up in Phoenix's plan. When we… uh, that night… Phoenix connected with me, anchored in me. I thought this anger inside me was stress, that this hopelessness was self-inflicted. But it's her… inside me. It's why I stopped Jubilee from stabbing Mystique that next day, why I've felt this intense attraction to her even when I knew next to nothing about her. Phoenix must have an anchor in her as well. I suppose it's meant to make possessing us easier. Once I tell her that she's free to take me, that's it."

Rogue threw her arms in the air. Her southern accent pounded him. "What the hell do you mean _that's it?_ That's your big plan? You're going to let Phoenix take over you and… what? When she possesses you, you _die_, Pyro. There will be nothing of you left."

"That's yet to be determined, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Who's to say I won't be able to overpower her in her weakened state? You drained her, right?" Rogue shook her head almost frantically.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, Pyro. You can't be serious. This power is going to fade soon, and—"

"Do you feel it fading?" He cut in. "Does it feel any less strong than when you first drained her?"

Rogue blinked. "I didn't want to say anything… but you're right. I still feel it as strongly as ever. Ah'm… a little afraid of it, actually. Are you okay, John?" John nodded and turned his eyes back to the horizon. The sun was half visible now, yellow with jagged green trees cut into it.

"I need your help, Marie," he said. Rogue looked at him curiously. She narrowed her eyes at him, hoping somehow she could discern the stoic look on his face.

"Is it going to help us defeat Phoenix?" He nodded solemnly. When he turned to her, she could see his brown eyes had darkened into coal. Where was the smolder she always saw— that glint, that flicker that seemed to incessantly burn within him? When had the John she knew disappeared?

"I need you to take us to the Brotherhood base," he said. "There's one last preparation before I let Phoenix take me." Rogue was about to object, but she knew that the outcome of this battle was far greater than her own morals. She simply nodded, slipped her hand into John's, and teleported them to the island one last time.

They arrived somewhat shakily. No amount of time could ease Rogue into the enormity of her new powers.

"You should stay here," she heard John say.

"What? Why?"

"I just… need to go in alone." Marie cocked her head at him. It was obvious what he had come here to do. Why the secrecy now?

"John, are you all right? You seem a little… distant." Suddenly he turned on her, eyes blazing, voice so loud that all she could do was bear the brunt of it as it slammed into her.

"I'M GOING IN ALONE, MARIE. DON'T FUCKING GET IN MY WAY!"

"John," she said delicately, "you're not angry with me. You're angry at Phoenix. Let's go inside together and do what we came here to…" He shoved her so hard and so quickly that she barely saw it happen. He was already turned toward the compound and running at full speed before she hit the ground. She slammed into the rocky shore she had but moments ago been perfectly standing upon. Luckily, since this portion of the beach was for the dock, there were no large rocks to smash her head on. Still, it took her a few minutes to catch her breath. It took her but half a second, however, to decide that she needed to run after John.

Rogue darted through the corridors. She was too far behind to hear John, but she used her new powers to see through the walls and mentally carve the quickest path to him. Meanwhile, John had made it to the lab, all but destroyed in the previous battle with the Brotherhood. Magneto was dead amidst the rubble, just as Bobby had said. He picked his way across the battlefield to the glass case that contained Raven. There she was, floating softly in the water, as if nothing in the world could disturb her. John dragged his hand along the top of the tank as he walked along it to see Raven's face. It was just as horrifying now to see her bright green eyes staring straight up into nothingness as it was the first time he saw her. What was he thinking? Why had he come here?

What resolve he thought he had dissipated. How had he been so sure just a moment ago that he could snuff out her life with one pull of a plug? What gave him the right? Phoenix was weak enough without this, wasn't it? Firecat didn't need to die. He backed away from the tank. He couldn't think clearly anymore.

"What am I supposed to do?" He pleaded at the tank, hoping that Sage would carry him away and answer all his questions. His eyelids clasped together tightly as if seeing alone made the world real. Killing Firecat was wrong; he knew this. He couldn't. Faint footsteps echoed into the lab, growing louder until he could hear the wind rush between Rogue's legs as she ran. In moments, she was in the metal doorframe, cautiously eyeing him as she entered the room.

"I can't do it," he murmured. It sounded more like a pathetic squeak to his ears. "I can't kill her." Rogue smiled weakly and made her way to him. A few small cement chunks trickled down the debris heap as she leapt over Magneto's body.

"You don't have to do this," she cooed, grasping John's hand in hers. "Phoenix should be weak enough without us resorting to this." She squeezed John's hand reassuringly because she didn't know what else to do. They sat silently for a moment before Rogue heard John snap at her in annoyance.

"Stop telling me two different things!"

"What? I didn't…" John threw her hand away and clenched his head in a death grip. He rocked somewhat, back and forth on the concrete. Rogue's eyes darted around him, desperate to find the cause of his outburst as if it had corporeal form.

"You keep telling me to kill her, and now you're telling me not to!" John lurched forward and fell to his knees. His head nearly kissed the ground.

"John," Rogue spoke soothingly, "what is it you're hearing?" She knelt beside him and placed a hand on his back. The muscles below her hand tensed. Looking at his clenched jaw made her own feel stiff.

"In… my head," he said, pushing the words through his teeth. "You're telling me to kill Raven, but… I won't. I… _won't_." Rogue's eyes zipped tightly back and forth in thought as she watched her friend dig his nails into the ground. She gasped.

"She's using me to speak to you, Pyro! Don't listen to her! Listen to my voice. It's Rogue. It's Marie. Only listen to me!"

"If we kill Firecat, we'll weaken Phoenix," John said dreamily, still staring at the floor. He raised himself to his knees then to his feet, pushing himself away from the dusty concrete with the aid of trembling fingers. Rogue attempted to stop him, but she was frozen in place. Her muscles simply refused to respond.

"_What is going on?"_

She watched John stumble toward the tank, legs locking sporadically as he seemed to fight against his forward motion. How was this happening? Did Phoenix really have enough power to…?

Rogue's heart leapt. They had all forgotten one critical detail about Phoenix. She wasn't a body; _it_ wasn't human. Phoenix was power—energy. Who's to say it has one, exclusive consciousness? Marie's chest pitched with the thudding of her heart. Her eyes screamed as she realized Phoenix's plan. Desperately, she fought against the entity's power that entrenched her in place. Muscle flinched, toes curled, but still she watched John in his own struggle toward Raven.

"_No! Stop… moving!"_ John groaned hard as he tried to stomp on his own brakes. It must be Phoenix. How could he have been so careless? The majority of Phoenix's power was inside Rogue; therefore, so was Phoenix. It wanted him to kill Firecat. But why?

"_There must be a fragment of Phoenix inside of Firecat."_

"_Who is that?"_

"_It's Rogue! Phoenix isn't going to get the best of me. I've got to… fight her! Rrrah! Hrrrr! Uhnn…"_

Rogue's voice shifted into bestial grunts as she struggled against the alien entity's hold. She was frozen in place while John ever-so-slowly, and with great difficulty, neared the glass tank. A thought came to him suddenly.

"_If I'm not powerful enough to fight off Phoenix now, I have no hope of fending her off at full strength in my body. What was I thinking? Is this how it ends? I become a host for this cosmic force bent on destroying the world? I manipulate fire. I don't fight gods! I can't even stop her from using my own legs! If she possesses me, the only option I can see is suicide. But if she can control my body, she can easily stop me."_

"What the FUCK am I supposed to do?"

Pyro felt his blood boil. He hadn't even realized that he'd screamed aloud, that he'd used his lungs without Phoenix's permission. His eyes were red with fire. He clenched his fists and shook away the invisible power that controlled his body as if he were a wolf tossing fresh snow from his coat. The glass tank sat pristinely in front of him. He wanted to overturn it and watch Raven tumble onto the floor. He wanted to set himself ablaze and dare himself to release his control on the fire.

"_These aren't my thoughts,"_ he reasoned with himself. When had he gained this clarity? He was angry, in a rage… His pulse raced. _He could control the evil inside of him._ But how?

"_If Rogue can use Phoenix's power, then so can anyone who Phoenix inhabits. She's been dormant in Rogue's body. Waiting? For what? Rogue can't use it now unless she finds a way to overpower Phoenix's control over its own power. Phoenix aside, Rogue's mutation isn't psionic, which is necessary to… Fucking hell."_

Pyro cursed his ignorance. The pieces were falling into place. This is why he felt so comfortable with telepaths! He himself wasn't telepathic, but his mutation was psionic. Even if he was limited to only controlling fire, he did share a thread of ability with his more powerful, telekinetic brethren. Maybe Phoenix's anchor inside of him could amplify his power or at least give him something to focus on. It was worth a shot… wasn't it? And then he had another thought: was his psionic ability the reason Phoenix wanted him in the first place? He hadn't considered it in depth before. Bobby's power was colossal. _Why Pyro?_ Why not choose _Bobby_?

"_Do you think I'm weaker?"_ Pyro asked inside his head. It must be listening. _"Is that why you chose me for this? Because you thought I would be easier to manipulate and turn against my allies?"_ He could almost feel the smirk and chuckle in his head as the force spoke in his brain.

"_I certainly did not expect you to be so clever, little Pyro. So long it took you to conceive the smallest details. It hardly matters. Your body and your mind will be mine very soon."_

"_You didn't answer my question."_

"_Perhaps you should pay more attention to your body and less to the voice in your head."_ John's eyes snapped open before the voice began to taper, before it even lifted high enough toward the ceiling of his mind to ring. When had he even closed his eyes? His vision focused in a matter of half-seconds— just in time to watch himself pull the main power line from Firecat's tank.

"NO!" Pyro regained control of his body, but it was all too late. Perhaps Phoenix had given it back to him on purpose, to watch him suffer while he scrambled in vain to backpedal. He shoved the power line back in, but the water was already draining. Air pumped into the tank; the water blew violently upwards as the air sliced into it. Pyro saw Raven in high definition as the water ebbed from her naked body, pulling away its natural cloak of distortion. She gently sank to the bottom of the case. Her eyes were closed.

John sank himself. He fell to his knees before the tank, staring into the glass as if to catch a reflection of just a few moments before when things weren't slipping out of his grasp. He'd killed her. He had come here to do what he did, but he'd decided not to and…

He clasped his hands around the back of his head and wept into his knees. Why was everything so hard? He had unwittingly done everything Phoenix wanted him to. It had shepherded him into this pen; he could hear a mocking _baa_ in his head. He wasn't sure if Phoenix understood humans well enough to use that sort of taunt. In that case, he was sitting on a pile of painful debris in a destroyed laboratory on an empty island, crying like a child and making animal noises at himself in his own head. It had to stop. He needed to think.

"_There must have been a piece of Phoenix inside Raven. An anchor just like she has in me, Mystique, and now Rogue. Phoenix wanted me to kill Raven in order to reclaim that piece. But… why couldn't it take the power back at will? Why did Raven have to die? Was its power trapped somehow within Firecat?"_

He didn't think Phoenix made him kill Raven simply for the sake of demoralization. It must have needed the power it left in her. The question was: why couldn't it take it back? John raised his head from his knees and wiped his tears. He didn't have time to feel this way. He needed to think. What were all the elements in play here? There was the host, Raven, the solution she was suspended in, and the tank. Besides all of the mechanical equipment that kept everything powered up, that was it.

"_Well, the easiest way would be to take the whole thing back to the mansion and have someone look it over. But how…"_ He looked at Rogue for the first time since he'd unwillingly made his way to Raven's tank. She was sitting on a flat piece of broken ceiling, a few tears sticking to her face, her eyes unfocused and looking straight ahead. John carefully picked his way across the debris and sat down beside her. He put his arm around her, cupping her shoulder on the other side and pulling her into him. Rogue was resistant. She was tough like Jubilee. But John knew that all tough girls had their breaking point. Eventually, Marie relaxed into him and sobbed.

"There's nothing we can do for her," he said. "You didn't have anything to do with this, Marie. This is my fault."

"I couldn't make it let go of me. I couldn't move. I'm _so_ sorry." John gave her a reassuring hug and the biggest smile he could manage, which was a sort of bitter grin. He didn't blame Marie. Most of Phoenix was inside of her, so it was no surprise that its hold over its host was virtually absolute. But where had the fragment inside Raven gone?

"The only thing we can do now is get this tank back to the mansion. We need Jean to tell us what the solution was inside, and we need to figure out why Phoenix needed me to… to kill Raven in order to reclaim its energy from her. Something was holding it back. It _needed_ someone to pull the plug; whether to simply kill Raven, drain the water, or disable the effects of the tank, I don't know. But it's definitely one of those. If we can find out which one, maybe we can still beat it."

Rogue lifted her head from John's shoulder as she took in his words. She watched his jaw move and his eyes stare steadily at the glass tank. This was the John who had betrayed Jubilee, who had stood against them with Firecat when she attacked them—the lazy, carefree Pyro with the temper of a canon. He was comforting her and formulating a plan to destroy a god at the same time. His focus almost scared her. It's well enough to say someone has matured and praise them for being less reckless, bigoted, and all around morally improved, but… it was sad to see him now. He hadn't gone through the natural maturation that comes with simply living life; it had been forced upon him in a matter of a year or two.

"I need you to transport us back to the mansion with the tank. I'm sorry, Rogue, but I also need you to keep Phoenix's power inside you for the time being."

"Why?"

"It's nothing to worry about. It's safest that it's inside you… for now." The two mutants raised themselves from the debris and stood next to the tank that contained Raven's body. John swallowed hard. Marie set her jaw.

-/-

"Bobby, you really don't need to be here."

"I know… it's just… I want to help. I feel so useless just waiting around. John left again this morning. I wish there were something I could do for him."

Jean Grey patted the teen on the head. He'd been buzzing around her laboratory like a fly avoiding the swatter since the wee hours of the morning—ever since he discovered John had left the mansion without telling him. So she'd put him to work doing menial tasks that she could have easily multitasked by herself. He was eager to feel like he was helping, however, and Jean was happy to give him some sort of relief.

"I left a clipboard on the other side of the room. Mind finding it for me?" Bobby perked up again and smiled brightly.

"No problem! Be right back!" The teenager bounced on his heel and spun around. He half-jogged toward the opposite end of the room. "_SHIT!"_

Jean whirled around as she heard Bobby scream. He had made it as far as the middle of the room and now stood on his tiptoes, body bent forward at his middle, arms waving in the air at his sides frantically like an offended flamingo. At last, he shifted his weight onto his heels and fell backward onto the tile. Rogue and Pyro now stood in the lab next to a large, glass tank that had nearly landed straight on top of Bobby. It had happened so quickly that not even Jean's telekinetic powers could have saved him if he'd treaded too far. She exhaled with a staggered, relieved breath and ran to help Bobby off of the floor. The teenager rubbed his rump as he stood up.

"'Dyce," he said, smiling as if his best friend hadn't almost killed him, "you're back."

The exhaustion on John's face added ten years. It dragged his eyes downward, flattened his lips, and curled his posture. But there was fight in his eyes, unmistakably. His eyes connected with Jean's immediately, severely. She almost felt the need to step backward and create some distance from him.

"Jean, we need your help. I need you to run tests on the tank and the liquid inside of it. There may be a way to end this."

"Su-sure," the telepath said, startled by the obdurate authority in his voice. "I'll get to work right away." She hurried to the tank and began to search for a way to open it, pausing only to ask Bobby to find her some thick gloves.

"There are latches all along the side here," she said, "but there's a double mechanism holding them shut. We'll need to plug it in." John looked at Rogue who understood his intention immediately. She disappeared for a moment, reappearing seconds later with the large set of mechanical equipment from the Brotherhood lab. The four of them had everything moved to a more convenient area of the lab in no time, all plugs stuck into the walls, sapping great amounts of electricity from Xavier's pocketbook.

Jean examined one of the electrical towers' panels of buttons. There seemed to be hundreds of them, all the same shape but undoubtedly with separate functions of varying import and consequence, as if one button served lattes and another detonated nuclear bombs. The telepath's hand hovered over the intricate spread of commands.

"We don't have time for trial and error," she said. She marched over to Rogue and grabbed the teenager's head. She gave Rogue a sad look as her student looked questioningly into her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Suddenly Rogue was convulsing upright, Jean's fingers digging into her hair. The younger mutant screamed as her knees gave way. Jean followed as Rogue crashed to the floor, never releasing the girl's skull. Rogue's hands locked in twisted shapes in the air as if she were continuously halting herself from clawing Jean to death. Bobby stared in horror, hands half reaching out in front of him, weight on his front leg. John simply bowed his head and breathed heavily. He could feel the Phoenix writhing inside of him as well, desperately trying to hide its knowledge from Jean's telepathic onslaught. He gritted his teeth and prayed for Rogue's agony to end. Just then, he had a thought. He started to antagonize the piece of the Phoenix inside of him as well.

"Aah! Fuck!" His hands rushed to his head as his own knees crumbled beneath him. A splitting pain crashed across his brain. He felt Phoenix thrash inside of him, inside of Rogue. He felt connected to the energy and to his friends in their pain. He focused on the power inside of Rogue and pulled.

It was the most anguish he'd ever felt in his life. Inside of him, he felt the Phoenix using his own internal voice to wish for death, trying to convince him to give up the fight indefinitely. But he held on. He _pulled_. They needed that information to defeat her once and for all. It seemed to take forever, but finally, being torn in three separate directions, Phoenix's control snapped. Jean hurtled backward; Marie sank forward, sobbing. John opened his eyes carefully. He'd expected lingering pain, an emotional breakdown…

He felt fine.

He raised himself to his feet, his eyes liquidly roving the room. Jean was just picking herself up, unsteadily. She wavered like the marble in a game of Labyrinth, firmly placing her arms outward to regain her balance. Bobby was at Rogue's side, both arms wrapped around her in an embrace reserved for only those you would die for. Jean stumbled to the electrical towers and pressed a sequence of buttons. The tank hummed to life and opened, hissing in defeat. Then the room was silent. John realized that everyone was waiting for him to do something. He walked to the tank slowly.

"Get a blanket or something," he whispered. Jean made a small sound as if to chastise herself for not thinking of that before. She hurried back with a sheet from one of the hospital beds and helped John lift Raven from the case.

She was dead weight in his arms, full of guts and air and blood, but none of it worked anymore. All of the chemicals that composed her memories were still in her brain, but she couldn't use them. He held her as if he'd known her all his life, close to him, breathing steadily, hoping she would hear his lungs moving and remember how to use her own.

"John," Jean croaked. She had been fighting back tears since her two students had come back from the Brotherhood's base. So much death and agony. So much weight on young shoulders. She gave a reassuring smile to John as she carefully wrapped the sheet around Raven's body. She gestured to an examining table, and John placed her delicately upon it. For a split second, Jean considered telling John to go outside for some air, but she knew he wouldn't leave the lab. She focused on collecting a liquid sample from Raven's hair for analysis.

"It's water," she said. "Just water." She thought she almost saw John smile.

"Good. Now we have to analyze the tank. How do we figure out what it's made of?"

"You mean you don't think it's glass?"

"I'm hoping it isn't."

Jean stared at John quizzically. "You're hoping…?" John began to pace and bit his lip before he started thinking out loud.

"Mystique told me Raven would die if taken out of the tank. That means something was keeping her alive. So it could only be three things: the liquid, the tank, or Phoenix's power." He continued pacing, his eyebrows in a hard line across his tired face. "Phoenix leaves an anchor in the people it inhabits, but the presence isn't permanent, as we could tell from when Jubilee and Gambit were possessed. At the Brotherhood compound, Phoenix… used me to kill Raven. It needed someone else to pull the plug, because it couldn't take its power back from her without disabling the tank. And since the liquid is only water, it has to be the tank. It _must_ be something besides just glass if Phoenix couldn't escape it."

A sudden excitement danced on the air. Jean gave her student an epiphanous look as she dashed back to the case, John hot on her heels. She held her hands over the tank as if touching it would burn.

"How do we conduct tests on something this large?" John watched her eyes dart back and forth, propelling the wheels in her mind to turn. An idea came to her, visible as a bright spark in her eye. She gestured for him to wait and ran to another corner of the lab. Her return was marked by the frantic screeching of wheels across the tile.

"It's an x-ray gun," she answered before he asked. "It's simple! We just need to measure the distance in atomic planes and figure out if the diffraction is consistent with the atomic structure of glass." Her excitement hung in the air, unable to penetrate John's bewildered expression to get to his brain. She smiled expectantly, waiting for him to understand. He didn't.

"Oh, don't worry about the science! Just stand back, okay?" John did as she asked.

Having forgotten the proper safety equipment, Jean called up a telekinetic barrier around her to protect herself from the radiation. A red laser on the gun showed the precise point on the tank that the radiation would hit. Without any further delay, she aimed the gun at the tank and pulled the trigger. The red light instantly sprang away from the tank, the radiation not only repelled but almost visibly thrown back at Jean, who, with mouth agape and eyes like saucers, slackened the pressure on the trigger and stared bemusedly at John.

"It isn't glass," she said.

John exhaled like he'd been holding his breath the entire time. A smile of pure relief stretched across his face. He started to laugh, the kind of laugh that only sudden reprieve from sorrow could ignite—a hysterical laugh, a laugh sparkling with tears.

"We can do this," he said. "We just need to make sure we have all of Phoenix's energy."

"How are we supposed to do that?" John heard distantly. It was Rogue, limply rising from the floor and batting away Bobby's attempts to be her crutch. "Is there a way we can account for all of its energy?" John closed his eyes and focused on the Phoenix's anchor inside of him. He could feel Rogue next to him and, somewhere, he could feel Mystique as well.

"Focus on the Phoenix's power. You have more of it than I do. See if it's anchored in anyone else."

Rogue closed her eyes. Her consciousness spread out across the world, searching for fragments of the Phoenix's power. It scared her having this much power, but she pressed on in her investigation. She felt the bustling energy of the earth, water rushing, hearts thumping. But she needed to focus on energy that matched that inside of her. She felt John next to her, saw Mystique clearly in the courtyard in front of the mansion, but she saw no other signatures, no splinter cells hiding in the darkness. In her mind, the power between the three of them resonated a completeness that just felt right. Slowly, she disconnected from the vast energies of the planet and opened her eyes.

"It's only the three of us," she breathed, "and Mystique is outside."

"Get her, would you? We need to do this quickly." Rogue nodded and disappeared. Suddenly, the blood drained from John's face.

"Shit! No!" He spun toward the exit with such force that he nearly fell head over heels. He ran toward the emergency stairs leading up to the mansion proper. How could he have been so _stupid?_

"'Dyce! 'Dyce, what's wrong?" As always, Bobby was right behind him, taking the stairs three steps at a time to keep up. Pyro panted as he charged up each flight, every step threatening to trip him as he flew upward. He couldn't explain the sinister feeling that had registered in his brain the moment he'd told Rogue to get Mystique, but it left a chill in him that burned.

"Can't let… Phoenix… get… away." He burst through the door at the top of the stairs and sprinted toward the foyer. All he could hear was the blood in his ears and his own exhausted heaving as he ran. At last, he reached the foyer and ripped open the front door. Mystique stood at the end of the cobblestone walkway, hips square, and a menacing smirk creeping up her face that made her yellow eyes dance. He was too late.

"Marie!" Bobby yelled. Their friend lay in a heap at Mystique's feet. Phoenix had jumped into the blue mutant and sapped Rogue of all her remaining energy. Mystique continued to smile at them.

"Ah, it feels so good to be nearly whole again," she cooed. "Congratulations on figuring out how to use the tank. Too bad you cannot plan without me hearing every single word." Mystique sauntered toward him, hips dipping and rising deliberately as she neared. Pyro had to think fast. He needed to get Phoenix into the tank.

"Bobby, get Rogue down to the lab," he said, turning to his friend. She needs medical attention." Bobby nodded, eyeing Mystique suspiciously before he skirted her and ran toward Rogue. The advancing blue mutant paid him little mind as he scurried away. John's thoughts thrashed in his brain. He couldn't trick Phoenix into following him back down into the lab. And where else had he to run? He couldn't even use Mystique as an ally when Phoenix had control over her… or could he?

Mystique stopped just short of him. Her blue lips parted to spew Phoenix's words, no doubt something snarky and belittling—something about how he couldn't save his friends and that it would enjoy absorbing him. The words were coming. The first muscles of her mouth began to move, but before a single sound could escape, John leapt forward, grabbed her, and kissed her fiercely. Mystique thrashed in his arms, but he held fast, fighting against her lips' defenses to plunge his tongue into her mouth. He dipped her backward until only her tiptoes touched the ground. Her hands pressed his head together tightly as if her last hope for escape were to crush his brain like a grape. Pyro felt the Phoenix's energy burn inside of him. It pounded against the confines of its cerebral prison and screamed as if engulfed by its own flame. It took the young mutant a few moments to separate himself from the raw passion of the kiss and remember that he'd had a plan. He focused on the cosmic energy inside of him, slowly tethering it to the force inside of Mystique, and began to pull it away from her.

Overwhelmed by the unexpected kiss, Mystique lost herself to it. She couldn't even hear Phoenix inside of her anymore or feel her own mind at war with itself as she fought to make her own decisions. This… craze that had overcome her fueled her; it forced her to focus on her own emotions and extinguish the hold of the alien power that clutched her. This was what Pyro was counting on. The Phoenix knew next to nothing about human emotions. It couldn't hold on to him when he'd lost himself to his rage, so if Mystique really had feelings for him, Phoenix's hold would certainly crumble again.

Little by little, Pyro leeched the alien energy from Mystique. He felt his body grow stronger as hers fell feebly into his arms, deeper into his care. She kissed him without regard to falling, clinging to him desperately as if he were reality itself. He wanted to go on like that forever; god knows he could have. The majority of Phoenix was within him now, churning inside of him, pacing like a tiger behind an electric fence just waiting for the power to go out. At some point, he had started to cry. This was goodbye after all. He kissed Mystique no less fiercely as he teleported them from the courtyard into the laboratory below the mansion.

Phoenix knew what he was doing, and it raged savagely within him. The tiger had lost all patience waiting for the electric fence to die; it now hurled itself and all its weight against its confines, clawing toward freedom no matter the cost. Pyro could feel the entity's desperation. He wasn't worth the trouble anymore; it would find someone else; it would come back later if it couldn't find someone else; it just needed to _get away._ Soon, he couldn't tell if it howled, roared, kicked, screamed, or clawed. Soon, all he felt was pain. He concentrated and saw Bobby in his mind's eye. In that confused state, it was difficult to feel anything physical; he was vaguely aware that he'd started to cry even harder.

"Bobby." He felt his best friend staring at him as he spoke to him telepathically.

"'Dyce?" Bobby's voice was faint and scared in John's head.

"Get the air tubes ready. Jean?"

"I'm here, John."

"Ready the tank. Bobby's going to need to shove me in there quickly. When I'm in, don't hesitate. Lock it and flood it."

"N-no," Bobby replied, "you're not going in there."

"Ice… I have to."

"No! We all thought you'd put Mystique in there. Not yourself. Not you! Please, not you!" The Phoenix's power was becoming almost overwhelming. His senses were preternaturally acute, and he could feel Bobby's tears. He was almost breaking under the strain of keeping control of his own body. Falling to sorrow now would devastate his cause.

"I can't hold on much longer, and I've got to absorb the Phoenix completely. When I do, there's no telling how much control I'll have," John said as calmly as he could, though he dared waste no energy in fighting back the desperate tears that ceaselessly slid down his face. "Please, Bobby, just… do as I ask. Please."

Bobby Drake stared motionlessly at his best friend. His eyes drifted to his professor helplessly. Jean only gave him a sad nod. Bobby watched her walk to the tall, gray electrical towers. The tank hummed to life.

"Be strong for me, Ice," he heard in his head. He saw Jean raise the oxygen tubes and steel herself. A few breaths later, he heard the command he had been dreading: "Now."

Bobby took a deep breath. This had to be quick. He ran toward his best friend, smashing into him hard to knock him off balance. Mystique crashed to the floor. He grabbed John's falling body and flung him into the open tank. The oxygen tubes sailed autonomously after him, and the tank shut tight. Bobby stood back, crying and sweating as he watched his best friend lie as still as he could as the water began to overtake him.

So that was it. The Phoenix was being contained, its threat annihilated, and all it would cost the world was his best friend. Soon the water would rise and the equipment would put John into stasis. Bobby watched the water climb. It pumped into the tank to fill up the empty space, rushing to reclaim its rightful territory. John looked peaceful, like he was completely content with how everything had worked out, like he'd known all along that he'd be making this sacrifice. Until the water rose to his chin, everything was fine. Then his head snapped sideways violently, submerging his mouth and nose in the water. Terror overtook John's eyes. _He was drowning._

"Do something!" Bobby screamed. John thrashed inside the case, fighting desperately against his forced suicide. It seemed that the case's power wouldn't solidify until the flooding process was complete, but by then, John would be dead.

"Open the tank! Open it! OPEN IT!" Bobby shrieked madly at Jean. "He's going to die!"

"You'll all die if you open the tank," they heard. It was John's voice on the air, urgent but suffocated. "Do _not_ open the tank." Bobby pressed his hands against the alien glass, fingers curling inward in pain. John was losing control of the Phoenix. If they opened the tank, it would jump to someone else and escape. Bobby thought quickly, but the answer was simple. It came to him almost immediately.

"Open the tank," he ordered quietly. "Mystique, get out of here. Use the elevator. _Get out of the mansion._" She looked at him, still weak and dazed. "GO!"

She was too tired to argue. Whatever plan he had was to save John. She scrambled to her feet and made her way out of the lab as quickly as possible. Bobby turned his gaze on Jean.

"Open the tank when I say. Bring up a force field around yourself. Don't let Phoenix get a hold of you." He turned to Rogue. "I need you to grab onto me _and_ John when Jean opens the tank, and then I need you to do _exactly_ as I say without question."

Rogue shook her head at him. "What are you—"

Bobby brought her close and kissed her deeply. "I love you," he breathed after pulling away. "Please do as I ask."

She nodded slowly, suspiciously. "I love you, too."

"We need to do this now. Jean?"

"Ready."

"Okay. Open it."

Before his final words, the water started to sink, sucked up by the large hole that led somewhere into the depths of the mysterious case. Bobby bounced on the balls of his feet like a boxer about to enter the ring. He never took his eyes off of John's face, anxiously awaiting the agony to melt into relief. He felt John's sharp gasp for air in his own throat. He could hear nothing from inside the tank, but his mind filled in the frantic sound on its own—horrible, the sound of near-death. The instant he thought the locks would spring open, Bobby was at the tank, ready to hasten the case open and do what must be done. The latches popped open. Without a moment's hesitation, Bobby grabbed Rogue's hand and forced her other hand to grasp John's head at his temple. Rogue had presumed this was what Bobby had planned, but she still shot him a scared look, silently begging him to have a plan.

"Reverse your mutation," she heard him say. "Use Phoenix's power and transfer it all to me. The second you feel the last of it leave you, lock me in the tank."

Rogue's eyes threatened to burst. They already began to glisten with tears. "No, no, no!" She shook her head but still held on to John, absorbing the cosmic energy of the Phoenix. "I can't do it. I won't do it!"

Bobby used his free hand to stroke the side of her cheek. He brushed away the tears but more came, sliding down her face thickly and slowly, like a bow flowing across a violin.

"I will always love you," he said. "If I don't do this, John will die. I'm the only one, Marie. I have to do this."

The southern belle clenched her eyes tight and hiccupped out her sobs. She focused on the all-too-familiar, powerful energy inside of her and found that she didn't need to reverse her mutation at all; it was easier to simply serve as a conductor between the two of them. The energy flowed into and out of her at the same time. Because Phoenix's entity was its power, its thoughts flowed through Rogue even as she quickly passed the energy onto Bobby. It knew it couldn't leap properly spread across three bodies that were connected as they were in those moments, so it waited for the right opportunity to possess the weakest of them and flee.

Suddenly, John went limp and Rogue gasped. She'd nearly forgotten that she was sucking the life force out of him. It was difficult to concentrate on three bodies and the immense power within her concurrently. She yanked her hand away from his temple and instead grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and unceremoniously dragged him out of the tank. There was no time for formality. John lay half on the floor, his feet still in the tank yet gradually slipping farther to the white tile. Rogue now only focused on transferring the rest of the Phoenix to Bobby. Their eyes locked. Bobby tried to smile at Rogue to comfort her, but the power siphoning into him filled him with dread.

He cast his eyes to his best friend on the floor, smiling softly despite his pain. This was his chance to do something for John. He'd felt useless throughout this whole experience. For over a year, John had suffered at the hands of the Brotherhood's games and Phoenix's manipulation, had run himself ragged trying to uncover the truth about Mystique's feelings for him. And what had Bobby done? There was no going back now; he felt the presence of the Phoenix burning within him, a heft on his heart like none he had ever felt before. This was the burden John had been carrying that whole time. Bobby needed to take it, to run far away from John and never let it hurt him again. Even as he looked at Rogue, the love of his life, his loyalty to John overshadowed everything. He knew what he was doing was right. He felt sad about how his choice would affect the people he loved, but he regretted nothing. An electric power shot through his body, and he knew that the transfer was almost complete. He leaned forward to kiss Rogue one last time.

Marie couldn't believe what was happening. She felt weaker by the second, heady after Bobby's kiss, and now he was kissing her again. She tried to push back her sobs, but with each passing moment, more of the Phoenix and her own strength left her and funneled into Bobby, who was a blurry shape through her tears. A sudden alertness grabbed her as she felt the energy within her taper. She dragged a determined arm across her face to wipe away the tears and all the weakness they came with.

The next few seconds were breathless. Bobby seemed to nod at her in slow motion. Then, with all the strength she could muster, before the tail of Phoenix's power fully transferred, Rogue slammed Bobby hard in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, and shoved him into the open tank. The breathing tubes flew at him as they had John and wrapped around his head, settling inside his nose. Marie hadn't even seen Jean move, but somehow, the buttons had been pressed. She feathered her fingers across Bobby's cheek as the last of the cosmic energy passed through her, and the tank shut with a crushing finality. Rogue stumbled backward, her backside hitting the tile as trembling hands tried to steady themselves on her cheeks. Her chest caved inwards as she exhaled.

Again, the water rose. They couldn't hear it outside the tank. All they could do was watch and wait to see if their plan would actually work. Rogue didn't want to watch. She fought with herself to look away, but not seeing killed her. She always looked back at Bobby, lying as still as death in the case. John stirred beside her, and her eyes darted to him. Sharp guilt stabbed at her heart.

"_Don't look,"_ she pleaded silently. _"Just don't look."_

But shaking himself back awake, John saw the tank, Bobby inside of it, and the water rushing to consume him.

"NO!" He screamed. He scrambled on hands and knees to the case when his strength failed to bring him to his feet as fast as he wanted to go. He slammed his hands against the faux glass, screaming Bobby's name. "Open the tank! _Open it!_" He pounded his fists above Bobby, who smiled weakly at him and raised his fingertips to the top of the glass as if to touch John's hand and say "it's okay".

John's face contorted in despair. "OPEN IT!" He screamed at Jean, choking on his own tears as his throat constricted. But his professor didn't move.

"I'm so sorry, John," she croaked.

His mouth stretched painfully as he pleaded with her. "You're killing him! Please! It should be me! It should be _me!_"

Suddenly, everyone's attention snapped toward the tank as the water reached Bobby's chin. As expected, the Phoenix attempted to drown him, but Bobby's mutation easily waved the threat aside. He breathed calmly. When Phoenix attempted to remove the breathing tubes, he froze them in place. It screeched in his head, furious that it had been outsmarted and trapped. Bobby felt it wonder in his mind if it should try to destroy him from the inside. Thankfully, the power of the tank began to kick in, and Bobby felt its power subside like a deep yawn inside of him. He himself began to tire. The water was almost to the top of the case now; he could see John saying something above him, but the words were lost to him within the soundproof, alien material. The Phoenix's power was too weak now to use. Bobby's hand drifted back down through the water to rest at his side. He smiled one last time at his best friend and closed his eyes.

Pyro howled, his body pressing against the tank as if he thought he could penetrate it if he pushed hard enough. He hammered it with his fists as tears streamed down his fevered face. Eventually, all of his energy left him, forcing him to lie defeatedly against the tank, punching it limply with bloodless fists then and again just to feel anything. He sank to the floor, placing his head on the cool surface of the tank.

"Bobby, you stupid kid. _You stupid, stupid_…"

Jean ran a shaking hand through her hair. She wanted to comfort John and Marie—she was the adult in the room after all—but she couldn't summon any cheer onto her face. Her heart was like lead in her chest as she looked at her distraught students on the floor. John had cried and yelled so hard that he'd exhausted himself, and Rogue was propped against a wall with her head on her knees. Nothing she said would make them feel any better. There were no words for this. She briefly checked the vital stats displayed on one of the electrical towers then quietly made her way to John and knelt beside him.

"I'll go tell Professor Xavier." Her voice came out awkwardly. She realized that she was afraid of her student's response, bracing herself for his ire.

"Okay," he said. She had winced prematurely. His tone was soft and sad, devoid of any anger or even vitality. She reached out a few cautious fingers to stroke his hair but reconsidered. Rising slowly, she turned from the room and walked toward the elevator.

When she approached it, it was already opening. Mystique appeared before her, shoulders hunched and yellow eyes downcast. The two women made eye contact briefly and sidestepped one another, exchanging places. Mystique nodded meekly to the telepath and walked toward the lab, eyes still scanning the floor. She was fully prepared to see John still in the tank, dark and motionless in the water, perhaps dead. Her heart leapt when she saw him on the floor alive but plummeted when she realized that Bobby had taken his place.

Quietly, she made her way toward him, bare blue feet padding softly across the cold tile. He didn't look at her when she approached, but he felt her sit beside him and lean her back against the tank. They sat silently that way for a long time, facing opposite directions, bodies close but not touching. The air in the laboratory was still and cold. The only noise came from the towers powering the tank, their soft whirr whispering in the emptiness.


End file.
